Capita founder and his wife lose battle to block ‘overly large’ six-bed house being built next door that he says will overshadow his own mansion on ‘millionaire’s playground’ Surrey estate
- Capita founder Sir Rodney Aldridge and his wife complained over new mansion
- Elmbridge Borough Council approved plan for six-bed house in Oxshott, Surrey
- Sir Rodney and Lady Carol Aldridge warned the home threatened their privacy
The founder of Capita and his wife have lost their battle to block an ‘overly large,’ six-bedroom house from being built after claiming it will overshadow his own mansion.
Sir Rodney Aldridge warned the house would invade his privacy, along with his wife Carol, at their home on a ‘millionaire’s playground,’ estate in Surrey.
The couple, thought to be worth around £135m, signed a letter to Elmbridge Borough Council accusing developers of trying to maximise the commercial value of the neighbouring plot by building an ‘overly large’ property on the 0.2 hectare site.
Elmbridge Borough Council has approved plans to build a six-bedroom mansion next to the ‘millionaire’s playground’ estate where Capita owner Sir Rodney Aldridge lives with his wife
Despite objections, the local authority has approved plans for the red-brick home with columns at the entrance and more than a dozen tall windows.
The two-storey building will also feature an external swimming pool, ancillary accommodation and parking.
In an official decision just published, Kim Tagliarini, Head of Planning Services at Elmbridge Borough Council, approved the plans subject to conditions aimed at giving more privacy to neighbours.
Sir Rodney (pictured left) and his wife Lady Carol Aldridge (right) wrote a letter to Elmbridge Borough Council warning the new mansion was ‘overly large’ and ‘would overlook neighbouring properties’
Ms Tagliarini said the house must feature balcony screening and obscure-glazed, non-opening upper floor windows ‘to preserve the reasonable privacy of neighbouring residents.’
Stately Homes Ltd, which is the applicant for the plans, was given three years to begin the development.
Sir Rodney and Lady Carol, who submitted a letter of opposition on December 22, had asked that the plans receive ‘proper deliberation’ at the planning committee
The millionaire said to planners: ‘It appears that some elements of the design, will overlook neighbouring properties.
‘The design for the property seems to be overly large for the size of the plot and not in keeping with other designs of properties on the same road.
‘The design is driven more by the desire to maximise the commercial value than bearing in mind any regards for the size of the plot and it being in keeping with other properties on the estate.’
The two-storey building will also feature an external swimming pool, ancillary accommodation and parking
There were concerns long windows and rooms in the roof of the mansion would allow visitors to look into neighbouring homes
Developers have been told they must include balcony screening and obscure-glazed, non-opening upper floor windows ‘to preserve the reasonable privacy of neighbouring residents’
In 2012, the Aldridges had won permission to build an extended wing including an orangery at their own extensive home, despite objections from the Birds Hill Oxshott Estate Company, a committee which considered all the applications on the estate.
Sir Rodney, who had been named in the Sunday Times Rich List last year as being worth £135 million, founded Capita which is now an international outsourcing company with lucrative armed forces training and recruitment contracts.
He and Lady Carol now run the Aldridge Foundation, an educational charity which promotes academy schools in England and encourages entrepreneurship among young people.
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