Michelle Mone wins battle to extend her £1.5m home

Bra tycoon Michelle Mone has won a battle to expand her £1.5 million '˜dream' mansion after buying her ex-husband out of the property.
Michelle Mone has won permission to expand her mansion. Picture: Philip Toscano/PA WireMichelle Mone has won permission to expand her mansion. Picture: Philip Toscano/PA Wire
Michelle Mone has won permission to expand her mansion. Picture: Philip Toscano/PA Wire

The Tory peer became the sole owner of her former marital home, a five-bed luxury property in the leafy village of Thorntonhall, Lanarkshire, earlier this year.

The house was put on the market in 2012 for offers of more than £1.6m when Mone and her ex-husband Michael split but it failed to find a buyer. The couple purchased the house for £1,525,000 in 2008.

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Mone submitted plans for a programme of renovations at the 6,000 square feet home to make it even bigger and get rid of the “bad memories” from her marriage breakdown.

She wants to add a single storey extension to the house - named Telperion after one of the trees in the Lord of the Rings - and build a flat to the rear of the property for her parents to use.

The former Ultimo owner will convert the current bar and cinema at the home into a self-contained flat for use by one of her daughters.

The plans also include a new gymnasium in the house, a two-storey bay window and a large courtyard to the rear of the property.

Mone’s next door neighbour, Alan Williamson, objected to the plans over concerns the extension could impinge on his privacy.

However, they have now been approved by planning officials at South Lanarkshire Council.

In a written decision, they said: “In this case the proposed rear extension would form a residential annexe for immediate members of the applicant’s family.

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“This building would be approximately 100 square metres in floor space and comprise of a lounge, kitchen/dining area, bedroom, ensuite and associated storage.

“The proposal also includes the formation of a self contained annexe within the existing dwelling.

“A raised covered courtyard would also be formed between the existing dwelling and the proposed accommodation.

“I am satisfied there is adequate boundary screening to ensure no loss of privacy to the adjacent property.

“The applicant has provided supporting justification to demonstrate the requirement for the additional accommodation.

“It is considered the proposed development at this property is acceptable.”

The planning application was submitted to the council in the name of ‘Baroness Michelle Mone’ and included 3D drawings of how the house will look following the building work.

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The 45-year-old businesswoman was admitted to the House of Lords last year as former Prime Minister David Cameron’s business tsar.

Her five-bedroom home is situated behind heavy security gates and includes 12 large rooms.

Within the property is a 26ft lounge, a 36ft family dining kitchen complete with stainless steel fittings and the cinema, which boasts reclining leather seats.

Security at the property - which also features five en-suite bedrooms - includes panic buttons and a CCTV system which can be monitored by smartphone from anywhere in the world.

Mone is currently living in an apartment in the upmarket neighbourhood of Mayfair and used the name of the area for her official title in the Lords.

Speaking last month, the mother-of-three told of her plans for the property, which she has called her “dream home” following the break-down of their 19-year marriage.

She said: “Mum and Dad will have their own part and my children will too.

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“I always wanted to build a house for my parents. It will be built just for them, especially for my dad who has been in a wheelchair for a long time.”

She added: “I’m going to change it all so that it doesn’t have any of the bad memories from when I lived there.”