Benedict Cumberbatch’s planning row

Benedict Cumberbatch’s neighbors are annoyed by his plans to renovate his North London home.

The 39-year-old actor and his 38-year-old wife Sophie Hunter purchased a five-bedroom mansion in Camden for £2.7 million last year and first infuriated local residents by leaving it empty before submitting plans to change the garden and add a boiler room, which neighbours claim could be "noisy".

One local resident told the Camden New Journal: "I see he’s getting his attic converted and wants a rear extension to the basement, but the thing that’s got people worried is this boiler room at the front of the house.

"We don’t know if it’s going to be this big noisy boiler room or not – and the council and architects can’t seem to make their minds up as to whether it will be a problem or not."

And another added: "There was a little frisson of excitement that he (Cumberbatch) was moving into the neighborhood.

"We were hoping he may come and present some prizes at our street party.

"But the excitement quickly turned to boredom and then displeasure after his builders put up ugly black hoardings around what is a rather pretty home and then left it empty for ages."

The planning application states: "It is proposed a plant room be installed in the front garden beneath the existing retaining wall.

"[The road] is a wide, tree-lined avenue with substantial detached, semi-detached and short terraces of mid to late Victorian and Edwardian villas.

"There is an established residential land use pattern across the area."

However, the council recommends an "acoustic report".

It stated: "An acoustic report would be required to accompany the application to check there would be no noise issues in relation to the plant room in the front garden."