The catwalk queen and her film-director husband Matthew Vaughan, produced hit film Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, had complained their home, Coldham Hall in Stanningfield, would be “adversely impacted” by their neighbour’s “over-sized” extension.
They lodged their complaints with West Suffolk council after neighbour Hanne Pilo, believed to be related to the former owner of their estate, multi-millionaire Danish businessman Jens Pilo, applied for planning permission for the extension. But Miss Pilo has now been given the go-ahead to build a two-storey side and rear extension on grade-two listed Coldham Hall Cottage and demolish an outbuilding and replace it with garages.
It is a blow for Schiffer and Vaughan, who have lived in their 14-bedroom Tudor mansion for 17 years, and who said the large extension to the semi-bungalow would spoil their views across their 530-acre estate. But the planning officer disagreed with the couple and proposed the extension should go ahead.
He said: “In the case of this application, the dwelling is located within a curtilage which is able to accommodate the scale of the extension without over-development. The proposed two storey side extension is located on the east boundary of the property and extends to the rear of the property by 8.5 metres. The proposed extension also has a Juliet balcony located to the rear of the extension. The only adjoining neighbouring property is at Coldham Hall Farmhouse located on the western boundary of the property and located over 30 metres away from the proposed side and rear extension with an existing garage positioned between the two properties. It is therefore considered that the proposed extension will not result in any material adverse impact on the neighbouring property in terms of overlooking, loss of light or having an overbearing impact.”
Miss Pilo has been given a deadline of three years for the work to be started. Schiffer and Vaughan are believed to have originally paid around £7.5 million for their Tudor mansion, where they now live full-time with their three children.
The grade-one listed building was built in 1574 and was once home to one of the Gunpowder Plot conspirators of 1605. The house is built in the shape of an H in honour of King Henry VIII. It is believed to have been named after Queen Elizabeth I, who was not amused after she was served cold ham there and christened it Coldham Hall.
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