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The millionaire Arron Banks' entry into the Bath housing market seems to be on hold.

Work has stopped just months into the project to to build six luxury homes it was hoped could be sold to Londoners for more than a million pounds each.

Original plans submitted by A Banks were approved by the local council in 2015.

Amended plans for all six properties have been submitted by his Bristol-based property investment company Old Down Ltd.

However, they face opposition from nearby residents and Bath and North East Somerset Council's landscape environment team.

Mr Banks has been in the media spotlight since he famously donated £1 million to Ukip in 2014.

He bankrollled the Leave.EU campaign in the 2016 referendum on the UK leaving the European Union to the tune of £9 million.

After the success of the leave campaigns, he issued a disparaging description of the residents of Bath, where a majority of people voted to remain in the EU.

The tycoon said in a tweet that Bath was “full of bleeding heart liberals” and “soft rich Tories”.

In November, Mr Banks was named among the subjects of an planned investigation by the National Crime Agency over "suspected electoral law offences" relating to the Leave.EU group which he co-founded.

He called the probe "ludicrous".

Luxury homes

(Image: Artur Lesniak/ Reach plc)

The six homes, each with four bedrooms and garages, were being built on the site of a former plant nursery on land behind 64-92 London Road West and beside Avon Rugby Football Club.

They are expected to fetch more than £1 million each and have been marketed to Londoners as a “very good deal” and “ideal for commuters”.

With motorway links, the houses near Solsbury Hill would have the added attraction of being “close to Bath’s many amenities”, according to publicity material.

But the new application seeks to change the position of the houses and garages, and it has been criticised by a Green Party councillor.

(Image: Paulgillisphoto.com)

Lin Patterson, ward councillor for nearby Larkhall, wrote: "I object to this application. It has made unauthorised changes to the structures and positioning of the buildings.

"It now is highly intrusive to nearby residents.

"It is unsafe due to flood risk. It is likely to be unstable due to ground springs.

"The exterior finish is incongruous. Please consider this in committee."

Construction did not begin until March of this year, days before the planning approval granted in February 2015 was due to expire.

(Image: Artur Lesniak/ Reach plc)

A nearby resident complained about the materials being used and the level of detail in the proposals.

Mr Carney wrote on the council planning portal: "The original plans (over 4 years ago) proposed houses with a stone appearance that was in keeping with the Bath stone of the neighbourhood.

"The amendment shows this has been totally replaced by a "Scandinavian Redwood Cladding" and "Semi dressed building stone" combination that would look out of place in this sensitive area of Bath.

"The amended plans show that the garages will be built closer to us.

"For such a potentially intrusive development it is unacceptable that the plans do not cover their design in sufficient detail to gain any impression of the garages' appearance."

Tree protection

As well as modifications to the design and location of the homes, the new application seeks to remove a condition which "ensures that trees to be retained are not adversely affected by the development proposals".

In its response, the B&NES Council landscape team raised concerns about the relaxation of the plans.

"The approval of this application ... would allow the applicant to vary the landscape proposals in any way they see fit should they choose to carry out soft landscape work," they wrote.

The council's highways and traffic and drainage and flooding departments raised no objections.

Builders in administration

(Image: Artur Lesniak/ Reach plc)

In a further blow, the company appointed as builders, Helm Construction, was placed into administration last month.

Bath Live understands that bricklayers left the site last month and heavy machinery was taken away.

If built, the homes will have excellent views of the cherished water meadows of Bathampton.

Helm was appointed to “bring the scheme forward on behalf of a private developer”, according to a press release on its website from March 20, 2018.

The release, titled “Work to start on luxury homes near Solsbury Hill”, quoted then contract manager Simon Larkin saying: “This scheme will deliver six luxury homes expected to be close to the £1m bracket.

“Batheaston is an ideal location near Solsbury Hill with great connectivity to the A4, M4 and A363.

Who is Arron Banks? Source: UK news reports by the BBC, The Times, The Guardian, The Independent and The Spectator British businessman born in 1966. Expelled from school twice. No formal tertiary education. Father of five. His second wife, Katya, a former gymnast and model, reportedly born in Russia. Estimated net worth of £250 million. Began life in a junior job at Lloyds. Has set up 37 different companies in the UK. Now co-owns a bank on the Isle of Man, and has a controlling interest in a diamond mine in Kimberley, South Africa, and a licence to mine in Lesotho. Some of his companies are based in tax havens such as Gibraltar, the British Virgin Islands and the Isle of Man. Links to UKIP: Donated £1 million to the party in 2014 and jointly bankrolled its Brexit campaign. Pro-Brexit campaigner: Put £9 million into the Leave.EU campaign which he founded. Was a leading figure in the official Vote Leave campaign. Links to Trump: Part of the group that met with president-elect Donald Trump shortly after his election victory in 2016. Links to Russia: Met with the Russian ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, several times, once after his meeting with Trump National Crime Agency: In November, Mr Banks was named among the subjects of an planned investigation by the National Crime Agency over "suspected electoral law offences" relating to the Leave.EU group. He called the probe "ludicrous".

“The location is ideal for commuters as it offers a direct link to the M4 or along the A4 to Chippenham, Swindon and beyond.

The release went on to say Mr Larkin “believes the bespoke, architect-designed homes could be of particular interest to buyers re-locating from the capital”.

“Increasing numbers of Londoners are becoming active in the West property market and a luxury home in a village location so close to Bath’s many amenities looks like a very good deal.”

Bath Live approached the planning agent in this application with a number of questions.

Old Down Ltd can expect to hear soon whether it will be allowed to continue with the development.

The original target decision date of December 14 has already expired.

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