Residents in the affluent north London suburb of Primrose Hill are locked in a planning dispute after the owner of a £5.75 million townhouse built a roof terrace without permission, which neighbours say allows people to look directly into their bedrooms and bathrooms.
Roof Terrace Built Without Permission
The terrace at 1 Rothwell Street was completed in November 2024 without planning permission. It includes seating, a table, an umbrella and a worktop with a sink. The current owners, who bought the Grade II-listed home in 2023, are now applying to Camden Council for retrospective permission. Planning documents show they have sought permission "for the installation of freestanding composite decking system lain on the surface of the existing roof".
Neighbours Left in Tears
Frank Lord, who bought his five-bedroom, 3,539 square-foot mid-terrace home on Regent's Park Road in 2025, said his 31-year-old daughter was left "in tears" when she had to crawl out of the shower in April this year after seeing people on the roof terrace looking towards their home. The American father-of-two, who works in sales for a software company, said he was previously inclined to let the existence of the roof terrace go but has now raised a formal objection with the council.
The 61-year-old said he has been forced to move their bedrooms from the back of the house towards the front for increased privacy, instead using the rooms as storage. He added he permanently partially closes the blinds on the back of his house to prevent people looking in.
High Price, No Privacy
Mr Lord said he bought his home on Regent's Park Road — where houses can sell for up to £7.5 million — because his family wanted "absolute privacy". He said: "We paid a lot of money for the house. Then we moved in only to find out we don't have the privacy." Mr Lord, from Miami in Florida, added: "At a minimum they should put up a piece of opaque glass that is tall enough that somebody who's six-feet or under couldn't be seen peering over it. That way, if they're up there, my daughter doesn't have to worry about building a shelter so she doesn't get seen in the bath tub. I'm not trying to tell them not to live their lives, but they should be courteous towards others. It's not like they're seeing the park, they're seeing my house – why should they want to see the back of my house, why should they want to see our bedrooms? They should just spend whatever it costs to put up a glass wall, and at least for me, it would be done and we would go back to being good neighbours."
Other Residents Object
Victoria Hooberman, 57, who has lived opposite the home with her husband Ronald Hooberman, 83, for 30 years, has objected to the plans. She wants planning permission to be refused as she is worried about her neighbours looking directly into her bedroom and the loud noise caused by people shouting during parties on the roof. Ms Hooberman said she was "astonished" that the terrace was built without planning permission, adding: "It's subtly depressing and subtly stressful. You do not feel as free and easy in your own home."
Community Divided
A number of comments have been lodged on Camden Council's planning portal, including one from a local who said they feared allowing the terrace would turn Primrose Hill into a "modern day San Gimignano" - a Tuscan town famed for its skyline of medieval town houses. However, others have shown their support - with one commenter stating: "I write to express my full support for this application and confirm that I have no objection to this decking system on the existing roof terrace. The works undertaken have been completed to a high standard and have materially improved the property's appearance. Such thoughtful investment contributes positively to the character of the surrounding area and is to be welcomed."
A housekeeper who answered at 1 Rothwell Street said the owners were away.
Camden Council will decide on the application at a later date.
