Geri builds 12ft wall around her £4 million home
By KATIE NICHOLL -
Geri Halliwell has angered her neighbours by building a 12ft brick wall around her home
She is known for being fiercely protective of her privacy.
But Geri Halliwell's latest attempt to remain as private as possible has resulted in a fallout with neighbours over the building of a 12ft brick wall around her property.
The Spice Girl, who moved to a leafy suburb of North London this year, has already started the imposing structure outside the £4million home, where she lives with one-year-old daughter Bluebell Madonna.
In keeping with the current Hollywood trend, Miss Halliwell has deemed herself suitably sought after to warrant such a measure even though her house boasts a state-of-the-art security system.
But residents in her street complained the wall, which prevents anyone from seeing into the property from street level, is an eyesore.
It is the only property in the road, near some of the world's most expensive homes, to have such a security measure.
"When Geri moved in we assumed she would want privacy, but none of us expected her to build such a big ugly wall," one neighbour told The Mail on Sunday. "At first a wooden structure went up and we thought it was just a temporary thing while she had some work done to the property but then the bricklayers arrived and we realised it was going to be a permanent wall.
The wall which has sparked fury in Geri's neighbourhood
"It's a beautiful and very residential street but Geri's house looks like a prison.
"It's a monstrosity of a thing. There are always photographers outside her property but the wall just seems to make her house stand out even more.
"We don't know whether she had to apply for planning permission but frankly we're surprised that the local council would allow such a thing.
"If Geri wanted Fort Knox-style security, she should have chosen to live in a gated property."
The singer, 34 reuniting with the other Spice Girls for a world tour starting this year is said to be 'paranoid' about her security.
She was burgled six years ago when raiders targeted her £1.5 million Notting Hill flat, taking £80,000 of jewellery and leaving obscene graffiti on her walls.
Miss Halliwell then moved to a £5million, eight-bedroom Georgian townhouse where she had 24-hour guards and German Shepherd guard dogs.
When she gave birth to her child Miss Halliwell decided to move from West London to North London.
Although the road is quiet, she told friends she felt she needed more security.
One said: "She's very happy there and loves taking Bluebell and her dogs for walks. But safety for them both is the most important thing to her." A spokesman for Miss Halliwell confirmed she does have planning permission for the wall.
By KATIE NICHOLL -
Geri Halliwell has angered her neighbours by building a 12ft brick wall around her home
She is known for being fiercely protective of her privacy.
But Geri Halliwell's latest attempt to remain as private as possible has resulted in a fallout with neighbours over the building of a 12ft brick wall around her property.
The Spice Girl, who moved to a leafy suburb of North London this year, has already started the imposing structure outside the £4million home, where she lives with one-year-old daughter Bluebell Madonna.
In keeping with the current Hollywood trend, Miss Halliwell has deemed herself suitably sought after to warrant such a measure even though her house boasts a state-of-the-art security system.
But residents in her street complained the wall, which prevents anyone from seeing into the property from street level, is an eyesore.
It is the only property in the road, near some of the world's most expensive homes, to have such a security measure.
"When Geri moved in we assumed she would want privacy, but none of us expected her to build such a big ugly wall," one neighbour told The Mail on Sunday. "At first a wooden structure went up and we thought it was just a temporary thing while she had some work done to the property but then the bricklayers arrived and we realised it was going to be a permanent wall.
The wall which has sparked fury in Geri's neighbourhood
"It's a beautiful and very residential street but Geri's house looks like a prison.
"It's a monstrosity of a thing. There are always photographers outside her property but the wall just seems to make her house stand out even more.
"We don't know whether she had to apply for planning permission but frankly we're surprised that the local council would allow such a thing.
"If Geri wanted Fort Knox-style security, she should have chosen to live in a gated property."
The singer, 34 reuniting with the other Spice Girls for a world tour starting this year is said to be 'paranoid' about her security.
She was burgled six years ago when raiders targeted her £1.5 million Notting Hill flat, taking £80,000 of jewellery and leaving obscene graffiti on her walls.
Miss Halliwell then moved to a £5million, eight-bedroom Georgian townhouse where she had 24-hour guards and German Shepherd guard dogs.
When she gave birth to her child Miss Halliwell decided to move from West London to North London.
Although the road is quiet, she told friends she felt she needed more security.
One said: "She's very happy there and loves taking Bluebell and her dogs for walks. But safety for them both is the most important thing to her." A spokesman for Miss Halliwell confirmed she does have planning permission for the wall.
