Property tycoon Christian Candy (pictured with his wife Emily) has won a planning war against his neighbours to build two huge tunnels connecting his £150 million ‘Candyland’ complex
Property tycoon Christian Candy has won a planning war against his neighbours to build two huge tunnels connecting his £150 million ‘Candyland’ complex.
The billionaire has been given the green light to dig a 65ft tunnel allowing access from his luxury pad to a underground car museum, dance studio and wine cellar.
This will connect with a guest cottage nestled in his grand country estate through another 200ft tunnel.
The 46-year-old has also won permission to demolish his gatehouse and stables, and replace them with a new building and garage.
It is the latest in a series of grand redevelopments of his £150million estate near Egham, Surrey, which has been dubbed ‘Candyland’ and is thought to be worth 40 times more than Ed Sheeran’s luxurious ‘Sheeranville’ in Suffolk.
The property tycoon and his wife, the socialite Lady Emily Crompton Candy, bought the four properties surrounding his opulent house, to create a huge manor where they live with their twins Isabella and Cayman, aged eight.
Mr Candy submitted the bold plans to Runnymede Borough Council in late October, and the council recently gave him the green light.
However, the approval comes with a raft of conditions, which include ensuring installing electric vehicle charging points, low carbon technology and ensuring the protection of bats.
Ashley Smith, from Runnymede Borough Council, wrote: ‘Many trees contain wildlife such as bats and nesting birds that are protected by law.
‘The approval given by this notice does not override the protection afforded to these species and their habitats.
‘You must take any necessary steps to ensure that the work you are carrying out will not harm or disturb any protected species or their habitat.’
However the approval will anger his Surrey neighbours, with several already having urged the council to block the development.
Property tycoon Christian Candy has been given the green light to dig a 20-metre tunnel (pictured) allowing access from his luxury pad to a underground car museum, dance studio and wine cellar.
Last year, Mr Candy got the green light for his underground car museum (pictured) which can store 57 motors and he now wants to connect it to the main house and one of the guest cottages
The first person – whose name has been redacted – said they were objecting due to alleged damage to the environment and countryside and traffic and parking problems.
They explained that when Mr Candy was excavating his car museum in 2017, they thought there was additional environmental damage and traffic.
The objector wrote: ‘I feel I must object to what will be a massive increase in the number and movements of heavy goods vehicles traffic.
‘As Runnymede Borough Council’s honorary warden of The Green and a local resident, during the autumn and winter of 2017 when the demolition and constructions of previous properties were taking place I paid frequent and particular attention to boundaries and margins of the wooded area of the village green.
‘I can say that approximately 90 per cent of the destruction of the verges and edges at this location occurred during that period.
‘As a result of my observations of the traffic movements of the huge excavation and construction vehicles used during construction I can say unequivocally that these particular types of vehicles were a major cause of the disintegration and damage to edges and verges of the village green.’
He added that construction workers’ vehicles caused ‘serious disruption and congestion’.
Another said: ‘I object to this application on the grounds of excessive development, increased traffic and noise as well as environmental concerns.’
It is the latest in a series of grand redevelopments of his £150million estate (plans pictured) near Egham, which has been dubbed ‘Candyland’ – which is thought to be worth 40 times more than Ed Sheeran’s luxurious ‘Sheeranville’ in Suffolk
The newest plans are the latest in a long line of redevelopments of the opulent Candyland complex.
Last year, Mr Candy got the green light for his underground car museum which can store 57 motors and he now wants to connect it to the main house and one of the guest cottages.
In plans submitted to Runnymede Borough Council, there would be a roughly 20-metre tunnel from the basement of his main pad.
That would connect the bottom floor – which contains a 25-metre swimming pool, gym, massage and steam room – with the car entrance.
On the other side of the vast 60-metre motor museum would be another longer tunnel to the outhouse, which holds a cinema, dance studio, another swimming pool and a fully functioning spa.
And the property mogul also wants to knock down his current gatehouse and replace it with a one-bedroom cottage.
On the other side of the vast 60-metre motor museum would be another longer tunnel to the outhouse, which holds a cinema, dance studio, another swimming pool and a fully functioning spa
The design statement, by XAB Architects, says: ‘A replacement house is proposed with a replacement gate house, stand-alone basement – car museum – garage, hard and soft landscape and a kitchen garden with outbuildings.
‘The new house is neoclassical in style and the floor plan and form of the building reflect the simplicity and traditional values of this approach.
‘The new gate house is also neoclassical but subservient to the principal dwelling and will provide on site sleeping accommodation for guests or staff.
‘The garage is a simple timber clad pitched roof building to house three cars.’
The property mogul developed a fortune of more than £600million after starting out in property management with his older brother Nick.
However, the approval for the plans came with a raft of conditions, which include ensuring installing electric vehicle charging points, low carbon technology and ensuring the protection of bats
The brothers began renovating flats in their spare time between 1995 and 1999 and are now thought to be worth more than £1.5billion.
They started with a one-bedroom flat in Earl’s Court, London, which they bought with the help of a loan from their grandmother before selling it for a £50,000 profit.
Following several years of success, the brothers were then able to give up their day jobs and established their property business Candy & Candy in 1999.
They are most famous for creating the luxury One Hyde Park apartment complex in Knightsbridge, central London.
The brothers also own a large collection of luxury super-yachts, private jets and a powerboat called Catch Me If You Candy.