Planning officials have given permission for HARRY Potter author JK Rowling to build two luxury tree houses in the garden of her home despite protests from local residents. They are intended to be used by her son David and daughter Mackenzie, who will each get their own two storey house which feature secret tunnels and bay windows. The two tree houses are to be linked with a rope bridge, and David will be able to make a quick escape from his using a specially built trap door and fireman’s pole. Mackenzie can use a spiral staircase or stainless steel slide to leave her tree house. Their estimated cost is around £250,000.
Drawings show one of the houses features a perch for what appears to be an owl and a “nature box” built into the cedar shingle covered roof to allow birds to nest. They are to be built in sustainable materials by UK’s leading tree house architects, Blue Forest based in Tunbridge Wells. Prices for basic tree houses start around £20,000 but for bespoke designs the bill their wealthy clients are prepared to pay can be over ten times this amount.
Ms Rowling paid over £2m for her 33 room, 17th century mansion two and a half years ago, and last year was granted planning permission to demolish the £1m 1970s style house she bought next door to enable her to enlarge her garden.