Saka gets £4m mansion go-ahead despite neighbours’ fury

Bukayo Saka has been granted permission to demolish a mock-Tudor bungalow in an affluent Hertfordshire village and replace it with a high-spec £4million mansion, despite 11 neighbours formally objecting over height, character, privacy, bedroom plans and constr

Bukayo Saka is gearing up to add a new chapter to his life away from football — one that has brought him straight into a fight with the neighbours.

The Arsenal and England winger, 24, has been given permission to demolish a mock-Tudor bungalow in an affluent Hertfordshire village and replace it with a sprawling, high-spec home described as an “ultimate footballer’s pad.” The new build is expected to be worth at least £4million.

As the permission landed, so did the backlash. Eleven neighbours formally objected to the plans for the home on a secluded road inside a protected conservation area. Their complaints focused on the size and height of the proposed mansion. arguing it would tower over nearby properties and look out of place among the inter-war mock-Tudor houses that define the street.

One resident wrote in planning documents obtained by the Daily Mail that “the overall size of the development in this pretty road is overbearing and out of keeping with its neighbours.” Another objector said. “This building is much higher than surrounding houses. The roof limit should be set at the same height to preserve the character of the road.” A third claimed. “The proposed house is vastly bigger than surrounding properties and is out of keeping with the rest of the streetscape.” Residents also raised concerns that the height would ruin the look of the road.

Privacy was another flashpoint. Residents said the mansion would overlook their homes and gardens. One objection stated: “The front and rear first-floor balconies are unprecedented… causing an invasion of privacy as well as restriction of daylight.” Another described Saka’s proposed front balcony as “unprecedented. out of character and invasive”.

Neighbours also challenged the property’s stated size. They argued the plans showed five bedrooms. not four. including a room in the habitable loft. and suggested that parts of the ground floor could later be converted into sleeping accommodation to create a sixth bedroom. One neighbour wrote: “The plans state that this is a four bedroom house when in actual fact there are five bedrooms and ample opportunity for increasing that number even further.”.

Some residents argued the bungalow should be preserved instead, pointing to its location within walking distance of local shops and describing it as a suitable home for an older person. They called it “an amenity to be valued and preserved” rather than demolished.

Further objections were tied to practical day-to-day issues: fears over flooding, heavy construction traffic, and damage to the private road. One warning referenced prior problems: “We have had considerable problems with water run off. numerous HGVs damaging the road and antisocial working hours with a property two doors down – please don’t let that be repeated for another 12 month period.”.

Despite the volume of opposition, planning officers backed Saka. Hertsmere Borough Council concluded: “The proposed dwelling is not considered to be harmful to the character and appearance of the conservation area and would cause no harm to residential amenity.”

Permission to demolish the bungalow was first granted three years ago, but an earlier version of Saka’s proposed mansion was judged too tall and “overly dominant.” The star’s architects then returned with scaled-back designs that council officials accepted.

The plans approved for the new home include an underground swimming pool, sauna and private gym so Saka can train without stepping beyond his front door. There is also a vast master suite, three double-bedrooms, a games room and a dedicated boot room.

Saka has also submitted revised plans to build a 6ft fence to boost security and privacy after Arsenal’s recent triumph. His planning agent said it is proposed “to retain the existing mature hedges to the boundaries. supplementing this with additional hedge planting where necessary. and to erect a green security fence inside the hedge line.” Officials are expected to make a decision on that additional request next month. with no fresh objections from neighbours so far.

The Land Registry shows Saka bought the bungalow for £1.3million in 2023. while the new build is expected to be worth at least £4million. He also owns a nearby £2.3million six-bedroom house with a football pitch and a garden gym. including a treatment room. which he shares with his fiancée Tolami Benson. 25.

Away from planning documents and neighbour letters, Saka’s year has been defined by his breakthrough on the international stage and a historic moment at club level. He is celebrating his first Premier League title and is seen as a first-choice attacker for England.

For the Three Lions, his tournament involvement has been limited so far: he came on as a substitute in England’s impressive opening 4-2 win over Croatia and then featured in the goalless draw with Ghana, again coming off the bench.

Back in Hertfordshire, though, the focus has shifted to the cornerstones of his off-pitch life — and whether the countryside peace he bought with the bungalow can really hold up under the weight of a house designed, neighbour concerns aside, to be anything but ordinary.

Bukayo Saka Arsenal England Hertfordshire planning permission £4million mansion Hertsmere Borough Council conservation area neighbours objections Tolami Benson