Photo: David M. Benett for Tattler
Neighbors in the posh residential area in South Kesington, central London, are very upset that part of Onslow Square has been shut down for the next couple of weeks, so one billionaire can do some gardening work.
The billionaire in question is clothing and restaurant entrepreneur Richard Caring, who, at 74 years of age, has a net worth estimated at over £1 billion ($1.17 billion at the current exchange rate). He is currently building his new dream home, a £40 million ($47 million) mansion that will replace the cottage he bought from German millionaire Gert-Rudolf Flick in central London, and subsequently tore down.
The mansion will feature a two-level basement that will integrate a garage, a wellness area with spa and indoor pool that can convert into a ballroom, storage for summer clothes, and a beauty room. It will also boast a matching garden, with dozens of mature trees providing clean air, privacy, and the most picturesque scenery for long walks.
These trees are being shipped in fully grown and planted in the garden right now. In order to transport them to the site, Caring had a huge crane installed in Onslow Square, which brings them over neighbors’ houses and onto his property. For that to happen, he requested – and was recently granted – a 2-week road closure by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Caring’s neighbors are none too pleased, saying that this isn’t the first time something like this happens, though it’s definitely the biggest disruption to date, and that it shows the council will bend themselves backwards to the whims of a billionaire. However, the real problem is that the same area that is now shut down serves as route for several main bus lines and ambulances, The Guardian reports. Onslow Square links South Kensington to Fulham Road, so buses 14, 49, 345 and 414 that usually pass through it have been diverted. The same goes for ambulances traveling to Royal Marsden and Chelsea and Westminster hospitals.
In a statement to the media outlet, a spokesperson for the council says that anyone can apply for a road closure, on the condition that the request is justified and the correct process is followed through. Caring made sure to check both aspects, including by hand-delivering letters to all 600 residents affected, and scheduling the closure for the end of August to ensure minimal disruption. That said, the council “can appreciate that closures can be inconvenient.”
The mansion will feature a two-level basement that will integrate a garage, a wellness area with spa and indoor pool that can convert into a ballroom, storage for summer clothes, and a beauty room. It will also boast a matching garden, with dozens of mature trees providing clean air, privacy, and the most picturesque scenery for long walks.
These trees are being shipped in fully grown and planted in the garden right now. In order to transport them to the site, Caring had a huge crane installed in Onslow Square, which brings them over neighbors’ houses and onto his property. For that to happen, he requested – and was recently granted – a 2-week road closure by the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
Caring’s neighbors are none too pleased, saying that this isn’t the first time something like this happens, though it’s definitely the biggest disruption to date, and that it shows the council will bend themselves backwards to the whims of a billionaire. However, the real problem is that the same area that is now shut down serves as route for several main bus lines and ambulances, The Guardian reports. Onslow Square links South Kensington to Fulham Road, so buses 14, 49, 345 and 414 that usually pass through it have been diverted. The same goes for ambulances traveling to Royal Marsden and Chelsea and Westminster hospitals.
In a statement to the media outlet, a spokesperson for the council says that anyone can apply for a road closure, on the condition that the request is justified and the correct process is followed through. Caring made sure to check both aspects, including by hand-delivering letters to all 600 residents affected, and scheduling the closure for the end of August to ensure minimal disruption. That said, the council “can appreciate that closures can be inconvenient.”
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