David and Victoria Beckham have angered their neighbours with plans for a lake on their country estate.
The couple have submitted plans for a "broadly kidney-shaped" lake at their £6 million abode in the Cotswolds, which would span nearly 3,000m2 and be four metres deep, but local residents have slammed the proposal as "out of keeping" with the area, "ugly" and "monstrous".
Sue Jones wrote: "I’ve lived locally for much of my life and I feel I must object to this monstrous looking plan. There is no reason for anyone to feel the need to build such an ugly and frankly out-of-keeping with the area body of water.
"It will have a bad affect on the local wildlife which will lose important feeding habitat. Can’t people just be happy with the beautiful landscape they have instead of always tinkering with things?"
The lake – which would be surrounded by different wildflowers, shrubs, bushes and tress – has also been slammed for adding to pollution issues in the area and for taking away natural spring water, citing a development at nearby Soho Farmhouse, which allegedly caused similar problems.
According to The Sun newspaper, Charlotte Waddington objected: "We object to these plans for the following reasons – we were not notified about the planning application – where [and] when were these notices posted?
"We live very close to this new build site and object strongly to the siting of yet another new huge (4 metres deep) new lake – Soho House already have
"How are they proposing to fill this lake? If yet another bore hole (Soho Farmhouse) is drilled down it will of course affect the water table.
"[We have] been fed for hundreds of years by natural springs, which are now being impacted by these new water features. We are getting less water and it is being polluted."
The couple – who have four children – want the lake to be raised around the banks to give them more privacy and they believe the water feature will "improve the landscape both aesthetically and in terms of biodiversity, whilst also adding to the enjoyment of the family."
The estate already boasts a ‘fairytale garden’ designed by Marcus Barnett, which boasts a natural swimming pond – which uses water recycled from the main house – a fruit orchard and a pergola.