Harry Potter star Rupert Grint finally settles two year row with neighbours over £5.4m eco village on countryside estate
HARRY Potter star Rupert Grint has WON a two-year battle with neighbours to turn a £5.4million Hertfordshire estate into his very own Hogsmeade.
The actor, who played Ron Weasley in the hit film franchise, sparked uproar over plans for an eco village of 15 homes at his historic 18th Century former vicarage.
He wants to convert the main house into six luxury apartments and demolish a huge 100 x 47ft barn and greenhouse to make way for five detached houses.
More than a dozen locals objected to the proposed scheme, saying it was inappropriate development on green belt land and in a conservation area.
They also cited loss of trees, an increase in traffic and fears for wildlife including badgers, bats, birds, squirrels and muntjac deer.
Grint, 36, was also accused of offering a “cynical” sweetener by offering neighbours and the local parish council free land for bigger gardens and a public open space.
But planners at the local council have now finally given the development the green light after the actor also vowed to build four affordable homes.
They said: “The development would result in harm to the visual openness of the green belt by reason of the introduction of development to parts of the site which currently has none.
“The harm identified is however considered to be limited and therefore compliant, given the contribution to affordable housing proposes as part of the development.
“The provision of four affordable housing units as part of the scheme is attached significant weight.”
Grint was just 11 when he was cast as Ron Weasley in the Potter films and now has a reported £42million fortune and a massive property portfolio.
He bought the property in 2009 but is believed to have never actually lived there and tried to sell it for £6million in 2018.
It boasts an indoor leisure suite with a swimming pool, jacuzzi, bar, two cinemas, a gym, games room and wine store.
The sprawling 22-acre estate also includes two cottages, a staff flat, an outdoor pool, floodlit tennis courts, two walled gardens and paddocks.
It was described by estate agents as an “elegant 18th Century house requiring refurbishment, in a peaceful parkland setting”.
The main house, also known as The Lodge, will be now be turned into five two-bedroom apartments and one three-bed flat.
The five new builds will include one five-bed, two four-beds and two two-bedroom homes, with three of them built around a lake.
There will also be four new two-bed terraced cottages, a new access, woodland trails, wildflower meadow, orchard meadow and natural pond.
The homes will be powered by ground source heat pumps and solar panels with green roofs and rainwater harvesting.
In his report, the planning officer said: “The development proposes carbon neutral homes and several other sustainable features that go above and beyond what would normally be expected as part of a development of this type.
“The development would therefore limit its impact on climate change for the long term. Moderate weight is afforded to this environmental benefit.”
Grint will have to pay almost £100,000 towards local schools, library and youth services including an annual £10,000 for maintenance of the gifted land.