Rita Ora has provoked anger among her neighbours in north London after submitting plans to build a large gym in the garden of her Grade II listed home in Primrose Hill. The 34-year-old singer purchased the property four years ago and now hopes to reconstruct the sunken garden, which has existed for almost 150 years.
The proposals have been met with objections from local residents, who have appealed to Camden Council. In their appeal, they argue that the modern gym is "out of keeping" with the heritage property and express concerns about the potential damage to the garden's ecosystem. They note that Ora previously described the garden as a sanctuary for butterflies and birds, including robins, herons and even peacocks.
The neighbours' appeal reads: "Ironically, the current owner has gone on record to say they wanted to preserve and honour the heritage of this sunken garden which they say is a sanctuary for butterflies and is also a sanctuary for many birds... To destroy the natural ecology in order to build a modern gym is entirely out of keeping with the heritage and calm of this particular listed property itself."
Ora's past comments in a 2023 Architectural Digest feature highlight her stated desire to maintain the garden's natural state. She called the space her "little slice of heaven" and remarked on the number of butterflies that frequented it. "I didn't want to put too much electrical stuff in this part because I really felt like the whole point of this sunken bit of garden is to be a garden," she said at the time. The new plans have raised concerns about light and sound pollution.
This is not the first time Ora's property plans have caused friction with neighbours. In 2013, she was reported to be looking for a new home after a series of noise complaints from her previous London address. One elderly resident of the gated community said at the time: "My family and I have lived in this quiet cul-de-sac for 35 years and are not used to this. My children know who Rita is but I don't… I don't want any loud parties."
Ora rose to prominence in 2010 with her feature on DJ Fresh's "Hot Right Now". Her debut album "Ora" in 2012 produced two UK number-one singles, "R.I.P" and "How We Do (Party)".
