House magic for Paul Daniels
Magician Paul Daniels can finally rebuild his flood-devastated home after neighbours demanded the council grant him planning permission, it emerged today.
Daniels and his wife, Debbie McGee, have only been able to use a few upstairs rooms in the Thames-side property, formerly valued at up to £2.5m, since it was badly flooded last January.
An application to raise the front of the building on stilts was rejected in October because the site in Wargrave, Berkshire, is on green belt land.
A second application looked set for the same fate when planning officers recommended that councillors refuse it last week, potentially leaving the house worth a fraction of its previous value.
However, Wokingham District Council relented and approved the proposals after neighbours wrote to condemn the "outrageous" treatment the celebrity couple had received.
One of the letters sent to the council slammed planning officers for "sheer awkwardness" and claimed the rebuilding would improve the look of the area, which has been increasingly badly hit by floods over recent years.
"It is utterly disgraceful. If this is the way you intend to treat those of us who suffer from the river's flooding, we shall have to consider the way we vote very seriously in future.
"You cannot imagine how you would feel if you were left in this sorry position," the letter added.
Under the newly-passed plans, the Daniels will knock down a large part of the front of the 1960s property and rebuild it on concrete stilts to protect against further flood damage.
They are currently living in one of the upstairs bedrooms, while a second is used as an office and a third to store furniture rescued from the water.
Mr Daniels, 64, who was informed of the decision just before he flew out to New Zealand on Wednesday, has said the work will cost twice as much money as he received from an insurance payout following the floods.
A spokeswoman for Wokingham District Council confirmed that the application had now been approved by its Planning Committee.
