'We'll have to spend the rest of our lives with the curtains shut': News At Ten's Tom Bradby is up in arms over development outside his £1m home

  • Tom Bradby complained about development outside his £1million home 
  • Newsreader slammed plans to build six new homes in Hampshire village 
  • He said one of houses would face into bedroom he shares with his wife

By Sebastian Shakespeare for the Daily Mail

Published: 18:51 EST, 15 September 2016 | Updated: 19:29 EST, 15 September 2016

News At Ten presenter Tom Bradby claims he and his wife Claudia will have 'to spend the rest of our lives with the curtains shut' if a property development opposite their £1million home is given the go-ahead.

Bradby — who is a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — has called the plan to build six new homes in the picture-postcard village of Houghton, Hampshire, an 'absolute abomination'.

He said one of the houses would be built 'directly opposite our bedroom', adding: 'One of the slight complications of living in a converted bungalow is that all the windows in the upstairs bedrooms are at above knee height.'

News At Ten presenter Tom Bradby and his wife Claudia have complained about a housing development opposite their home in Houghton, Hampshire

News At Ten presenter Tom Bradby and his wife Claudia have complained about a housing development opposite their home in Houghton, Hampshire

The traffic associated from the new property would mean 'headlights beaming straight in'.

The 49-year-old broadcaster, who presented ITV's coverage of the EU referendum, said in a letter to Test Valley Borough Council's director of planning, Paul Jackson: 'I am sorry to be a bit late in commenting on this, but I have been somewhat distracted by the complete meltdown in our political system.'

Describing the development site, Kents Orchard, as an 'important open rural space', Bradby says of the development: 'Passing it would be tantamount to saying you can build whatever you like wherever you like, even in the heart of rural England.'

He adds: 'It would be a quite staggering turn of events. It would certainly permanently damage what everyone acknowledges is an important conservation area.'

Bradby — who is a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — has called the plan to build six new homes in the picture-postcard village of Houghton, Hampshire, an 'abomination'

Bradby — who is a friend of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge — has called the plan to build six new homes in the picture-postcard village of Houghton, Hampshire, an 'abomination'

He said one of the houses would be built 'directly opposite our bedroom'

He said one of the houses would be built 'directly opposite our bedroom'

Tom and Claudia, who insisted this year that 'we don't see ourselves as a power couple', bought the house for £655,000 in 2003. They also own a flat in London.

Bradby warned he and other local objectors would try to refer the controversy to the Government. 'We have been advised that we should try to call this decision into the Secretary of State if this were to go through,' said the former political editor.

'We would certainly seek to do so because a core principle is at stake, not just for us but for conservation areas generally. I think we would probably succeed.'

However, his protests don't seem to have held much sway with the council. A report to the next meeting of its planning committee recommended the scheme be given the green light.

Thieves steal late wife's ring from grieving Hunter Davies 

A bitter blow for Hunter Davies, who is still mourning his beloved wife, Georgy Girl writer Margaret Forster, who died in February aged 77.

Thieves broke into his London home and stole the wedding ring that Forster wore for more than 50 years.

‘When she passed away at the Marie Curie Hospice in Hampstead, a nurse gently took her ring and gave it to me,’ explains Beatles biographer Davies.

Author Hunter Davies is appealing for help after thieves broke into his home and stole a wedding ring that was worn by his late wife, Georgy Girl writer Margaret Forster (pictured)

Author Hunter Davies is appealing for help after thieves broke into his home and stole a wedding ring that was worn by his late wife, Georgy Girl writer Margaret Forster (pictured)

‘I’ve kept it safe next to my bed since, and I’m particularly upset that it was taken.

‘Before we got married, Margaret would wear a “pretend” wedding ring we’d bought from Woolworths. 

'We would use it so we could go and stay the night together in a pub we’d visit in Rye. After we got married, Margaret bought a new, proper wedding ring. It is irreplaceable. 

'I have four granddaughters — and I had this idea that when one of them got married, I could hand the ring on to them.’

 

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