Rupert Grint (37) is allowed to renovate his estate in the English county of Hertfordshire. As the "Daily Mail" reports, the responsible district council gave the "Harry Potter" star the green light for his controversial construction project. However, it's coming at a steep price: In total, he must pay 187,087 pounds (around 216,390 euros) to the municipality and public institutions.
Approval after more than three years
Grint had submitted the plans for his Kimpton Grange estate near Hitchin back in October 2022. The construction project includes a total of 15 residential units. The listed 18th-century manor house is to be divided into several apartments. In addition, there will be four smaller townhouses as affordable housing as well as several detached eco-homes of varying sizes. A pond fed by the River Kym is intended to promote biodiversity on the property.
In November 2024, a planning committee voted in favor. However, according to the report, official approval was delayed because a legal agreement regarding the payments had to be reached first. The council only issued the permit last Friday.
What's behind the payments
The payments are part of a so-called Section 106 agreement. Such agreements are intended to mitigate the impact on local infrastructure for larger construction projects. The lion's share of 100,000 pounds goes to the Kimpton parish council to maintain public green spaces, as the "Daily Mail" quotes from the document. Another 70,513 pounds will reportedly go toward expanding the Katherine Warington School in nearby Harpenden.
The remainder is distributed among several items: 11,401 pounds are reportedly earmarked for new special education school places, just over 2,500 pounds for the library in Hitchin, and just under 2,000 pounds for a community center. A remaining amount of 340 pounds goes to the county administration.
Criticism of the construction project
There was resistance to the renovation plans in Kimpton. According to the "Daily Mail", one resident warned of the possible loss of up to 50 old trees. Conservationists also expressed concerns, as bats have been detected in the manor house. Additionally, Grint must construct new bus shelters and sidewalks. There are also strict flood protection requirements.
