GERI Halliwell and husband Christian Horner have had a slice of luck after winning a long-running planning battle over a pizza oven built without permission at their £9.2million country mansion.
The Spice Girl and former Red Bull Racing boss were granted retrospective planning permission after reducing the height of both the gazebo and the pizza oven flue, despite months of objections from local residents and heritage experts.
Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner have won a planning battle over a pizza oven Credit: AFP
The couple built the structures alongside an oak-framed pergola Credit: INSTAGRAM@REDBULRACING
The couple built the structures alongside an oak-framed pergola at their Grade II-listed home before later applying for planning permission retrospectively.
Their original applications for the gazebo, pizza oven and pergola were refused last year after neighbours complained the developments harmed the character of the conservation area.
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However, revised applications were later submitted separately, with the pergola approved in March and the gazebo and pizza oven finally given the green light by the local council on Monday.
The couple reduced the height of the gazebo and the pizza oven flue by 300mm in the revised proposals.
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One neighbour accused the pair of building the gazebo and pizza oven illegally
The Spice Girl and former Red Bull Racing boss were granted retrospective planning permission
One neighbour who objected earlier this year claimed: “Both were built illegally under the noses of the planning officers.”
Another said: “Ugly looking thing in the area. It looks like the same pattern of refusing planning only to allow it after six months, going through the motions when the intention was always to allow it. Shocking and noticed.”
A third asked: “What has changed since this retrospective structure was refused? Things are wrong here.”
The council’s heritage and conservation team also objected to the scheme.
In its submission, the team said it “considers that the gazebo and pizza oven, together with other garden alterations, have introduced excessive domestic features and significantly altered the character of the former garden area.”
But one neighbour backed the celebrity couple, arguing: “The repeated negative comments and complaints that the developments seem to attract are conversely preventing the applicant from improving and maintaining an expensive and important historical property to a standard that few could otherwise afford.
“The pizza oven would no more impact the air quality and amenity of the applicant property (and those around) than the open fires, coal fires and log burners that are found in almost every home in the village, not to mention the frequent bonfires conducted by other residents on the properties and lands of adjacent neighbours.”
In a report published on Monday, the planning officer said the revised proposals were acceptable.
He said the structures were “modest in scale” and would not have an unacceptable impact on neighbouring properties.
Mr Childs wrote: “Giving regard to their proposed use and design, there is no potential for overlooking or views to neighbouring properties.
“Whilst both structures would result in outdoor residential activity, the scale and domestic nature of the use would not generate levels of noise or activity that would harm the living conditions of neighbouring occupiers.
“The development would therefore maintain an acceptable level of privacy, daylight and outlook for surrounding residents.
“Overall, it is considered that the proposal would not give rise to any unacceptable impacts on neighbouring residential amenity.”
Halliwell, 53, and Horner, 52, have made a series of changes to the estate since buying the former vicarage.
They have previously secured planning permission for a horse walker at stables housing 14 horses, as well as a first-floor extension, a replacement barn and a greenhouse.
They have also built both an indoor and an outdoor swimming pool.
Speaking earlier this year, one resident said villagers had grown frustrated by the scale of development at the property.
They said: “Overall, the industrial-sized regular goings on do not represent what a conservation area is supposed to be.
“The local village is not better for it in many ways and there are many disgruntled residents still.”
The local council said it “determined planning application 2026/0265 following consideration of all material planning considerations, relevant planning policies, consultation responses and specialist advice.”
It added changes were made during the process and that “officers concluded the development was acceptable in planning terms and planning permission was granted.”
Their representatives have been approached for comment.
