Rich in a rush to beat basement clampdown in London
New rules due next year limiting underground developments cause a flood of applications in London's most expensive neighbourhoods
Homeowners in London's richest neighbourhoods are racing to build luxury basements with pools and wine cellars before new rules limiting underground developments come into force.
A rising number of property owners unable to build upwards or outwards in tight London streets have opted to dig down, bypassing rules governing above-ground work.
Tetra Pak heir Hans Rausing this week won approval to build a pool, cinema and cigar room under his London mansion - the same home where his wife's body lay hidden for two months last year after her drug-related death.
Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich, Formula 1 heiress Tamara Ecclestone and steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal are among those who have also dabbled with basement extensions.
A spokeswoman for Kensington and Chelsea Council - where semi-detached houses cost an average £6.1 million (HK$74 million) - said a record number of applications had been received this year.
In the first five months the council received 166 basement applications, compared with 297 in all of last year - a sharp contrast to 2001, when 46 basement applications were submitted.
But the Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster authorities, most affected by the basement boom, are now finalising stricter rules for subterranean work in response to anger about the disruption and structural impact.
