Robbie Williams Restarts Neighborhood Feud With Jimmy Page
Getting along with neighbors in close quarters can be a challenge.
That's perhaps why Robbie Williams has applied to build a fence the height of a two-story structure between his London home and neighbor Jimmy Page. Williams' application cites a lack of privacy as his reasoning for the fence, according to The Sun.
"It has been noted that due to the use of existing wall elements and the significant retention of soil within the plot, wall elevations are low and allow passers-by a view of the garden," the application reads. "As part of a proposed landscaping scheme the designer has proposed the use of trellis panels as a low-impact way of increasing the privacy within the garden."
This is just the latest installment in a spat over proposed renovations for the Williams home that go back to 2015, much to the chagrin of Page. It began when Williams announced plans to begin work on the basement of the mansion, where he planned to install a swimming pool, recording studio, gym and a new window overlooking Page's property. Page wrote to the local city council at the time, saying he was "extremely concerned" about the project.
Page argued that Williams' plans presented a risk to the foundations of Tower House, the historic building Page has owned since 1972 and which possesses a Grade 1 listing that allows for some governmental protection. "I have been the custodian of the house, and on my watch I feel that I have got to do everything with all these sorts of haphazard things," Page said in 2019. "That really it’s my duty while it’s my watch."
Williams was eventually given permission to go ahead with the basement plans, but under strict rules: Only hand tools could be used and noise levels would need to be monitored and kept to a minimum. That hasn't stopped the bitter feud from continuing over the last several years.
Williams publicly apologized in 2017 for insinuating that Page was mentally ill. There were reports two years later that Williams was purposely dressing up as Page's Led Zeppelin bandmate Robert Plant on stage in an effort to mock his neighbor.
The new fence plans assure that no damage will be made to the land the two houses sit on. "It is our view that said intervention will have negligible impact on the heritage value of the property," Williams' application reads, "while adding a level of privacy to inhabitants whilst using the garden."
With basement renovations underway, this fence application promises to keep things out of sight – though perhaps not out of Page's mind.
Top 25 Rock Producers
Denis Leary Doesn't Understand Why Led Zeppelin Won't Reunite