When an Indian clothing tycoon and his Bollywood actress wife purchased a dilapidated mansion for £21 million three years ago, it barely caused a stir among the affluent residents of Notting Hill. Shortly after acquiring the 200-year-old west London property in 2023, billionaire Anand Ahuja, 42, and Sonam Kapoor, who boasts 33 million Instagram followers, submitted plans to completely gut the interior. Their proposal involved stripping out everything inside, preserving only the four outer walls, and adding a basement swimming pool along with an underground basketball court. Apart from some disruption and construction noise, the residents living in 'Hillcrest', a block of flats adjoining the property, saw no reason for concern.
Three-Year Planning Dispute
What followed was a protracted three-year planning row, with objections and appeals exchanged back and forth until the billionaire couple finally secured planning approval. However, the fallout from those objections has become evident. The same residents have accused their wealthy neighbours of purchasing five flats in their block for a total of around £4 million, which they claim will be used as 'servants' quarters' for staff employed at the couple's magnificent property.
Residents' Fears and Alleged Threats
Residents who spoke to the Daily Mail allege that the five flats, bought by a company linked to the couple, could grant undue influence over the management board of their block to approve renovation designs. The firm also acquired the block's garage, currently used for storage, which could house some of the couple's car collection. When locals voiced their concerns, they claim they were warned in a private meeting with a company spokesman that if they made a fuss, the flats would be made available for 'social housing'. An email exchange between residents and Shahi Exports, seen by the Daily Mail, suggested that publication of an article detailing concerns could allegedly lead to this outcome.
One homeowner stated: 'We're being made to feel afraid of speaking out just because they're powerful. We've formed a sense of community here and that's changing because some billionaires want to make our home another playground. That will change even more if they let people in from what they call "social housing". It's a weird threat. The whole thing stinks.' Another resident noted that legal letters had previously been sent by homeowners from some of the 23 flats at Hillcrest over the next-door plans. They added: 'We are afraid of speaking out because we don't want to get sued by billionaires. They have already made threats after some of us spoke to the press. Their plans were approved by the council two weeks ago so now we are dreading the noise. There is a border wall all the way down this property. They now have four voting shares in our building and there's only 23 flats. They have had a rotating cast of people, call them staff or servants, who have been changing in one flat all the time.'
Defence and Context
Another resident defended the couple, describing the situation as 'part and parcel of life in a city like London' and 'a storm in a teacup', maintaining that the new neighbours have acted reasonably. The couple is said to have already spent £4.7 million on works at the mansion. Kapoor, 40, a third-generation Bollywood star, has appeared in major films and promotes brands like Dior and Lancome on social media. Ahuja is involved with his billionaire family's firm Shahi Exports, a clothing manufacturer. The power couple also own homes in Delhi and Mumbai, as well as a flat and studio in Notting Hill. A representative for the couple said that Kapoor had no direct involvement in the company that purchased the flats and they were acquired for investment purposes.
