A project that is far from unanimous. At just 19 years old and only eight years after his first appearance in the cinema for his role as Ron Wesley in the Harry Potter saga, Rupert Grint has invested part of his fortune in a property located in Kimpton, in the countryside of north London. The Kimpton Grange manor and its park of almost 10 hectares.
The actor then explained to the 1,400 inhabitants of the village that he wanted to settle there with his family. In the early years, Rupert Grint’s parents, Nigelle and Joanne Grint, were indeed seen regularly on the property. However, 15 years after this purchase, the interpreter of Ron Wesley sees much bigger for his domain. To the great dismay of residents, reveals the “Daily Mail”.
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After unsuccessfully trying to sell the property in 2018, Rupert Grint presented a plan for an eco-village on the land in 2020, which involves converting the manor into six apartments and building four two-bedroom terraced houses and five detached terraced houses. The homes are described as “affordable” and will be built in the middle of a wooded park.
“The proposals aim to restore an old building within the green belt, preserving it from further decay and damage,” the current owner of the property explains in the filing, made public by The Comet. Rupert Grint also promises that Eco-Hogsmeade (the name is a nod to the village of Hogsmeade in Harry Potter) will provide “additional amenities” for Kimpton residents, such as a picnic area and a new walking path.
But the “Daily Mail” explains that residents have been united against this project for 4 years now. At the heart of the conflict: the fact that the Harry Potter actor’s land is located in a protected area.
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13 appeals deemed “serious”
“This unsustainable development project will destroy the conservation zone,” fears a resident interviewed by our English colleagues. Thus, one month before the vote by the municipal council on whether or not to grant the building permit to Rupert Grint, thirteen people filed an appeal so that Eco-Hogsmeade never sees the light of day.
The local nature conservation association has expressed reservations, saying the information provided was not sufficient to assess the impact on biodiversity. Kimpton residents have also warned of adverse effects on traffic on the village’s narrow main street.
To try to calm things down, Rupert Grint tried to modify his project a little and even offered to all the residents of his estate to offer them a piece of land to enlarge their garden. For the moment, nothing works…
