Nation of Montenegro sparks planning row by turning Kensington town house into embassy

Planning approval not yet granted for tiny nation's London embassy
'Travesty': Residents have hit out at the 'high-handed' approach of the Montenegrins (Picture: Jeremy Selwyn)
JEREMY SELWYN

The tiny country of Montenegro has sparked a bitter battle in the heart of Kensington after turning an £8million townhouse into its London embassy without planning permission.

Neighbours told of their anger and astonishment when they woke to discover the Balkan country’s red and gold flag raised on a flagpole above the five-storey terrace on a quiet backstreet near the Royal Albert Hall.

Residents, including the manager of nearby celebrity bolthole The Baglioni Hotel - which counts Lindsay Lohan, George Clooney, Mariah Carey, Beyoncé and Jay-Z among its glitzy clientele - have written to Kensington and Chelsea council demanding the building is returned to residential use.

They accuse the Montenegrins of a “high-handed” approach to the move and fear the presence of an embassy could bring “emotionally unstable people” to their street.

The embassy, which moved to De Vere Gardens last September from its previous base in Notting Hill, will tonight learn whether a retrospective bid for planning permission is successful. Officers have recommended the application is approved.

Catja Ko, a resident who lives opposite the building, wrote in a letter of objection: “I saw the embassy staff moving in, erecting a flagpole and putting a brass plate near the front door, both of which had to be removed again as neighbours complained about the sudden appearance of an embassy in our midst.”

Mats Klevjer said: “We have worries for the safety of local residents, including ourselves, as an embassy can potentially attract emotionally unstable people. An embassy will always be a potential target, at least more so than residential housing.”

Mauro Zanotti, general manager of the Baglioni, complained that allowing a change the use from residential to embassy would set a precedent for future development.

Vivienne and Anthony Leung, who have lived in the street for more than 20 years, said: “Since this application has been submitted there were many incidents of double parking along the residents’ bay, people smoking outside the front doors, not to mention the attempt to put up a flag pole without permission.”

One described the change of use as a “travesty” and another raised fears of potential demonstrations and queues for passports in the street.

The Embassy of Montenegro has described the complaints as an “organised objections campaign”.

It has pointed out that embassy’s previous base in Callcott Street has been returned to residential use, so there is no loss of accommodation in the area associated with the swap.

Writing on behalf of the Ambassador, his PA Snezana Cukic said: “Yes, the flagpole was displayed for one day only as predetermined in our tenancy agreement. However, after we realised that the permission stated in the tenancy agreement is still not obtained we removed everything, same day, from the wall.

“We can ensure our neighbours and the council that the presence of our small embassy will not change the character and atmosphere of the street. We are pretty sure that during any private house party you will find more unfamiliar people and more smokers than our embassy would have in one year.”

In total 22 properties were notified of the retrospective plans which received 24 objections and none in support.

The embassy provides mainly advice-giving services for the small country which has a population of 630,000 population.

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