Holly Willoughby's plans to extend London home rejected after neighbours' objected

Holly Willoughby plans to build a first-floor extension to her family home have been rejected after neighbours objected.

The 40-year-old This Morning presenter lives in west London in a five-bedroom house with her TV production company boss husband Dan Baldwin and their three children.

The couple had submitted plans to add a sixth bedroom with en-suite bathroom, walk-in wardrobe and balcony, as well as a second study, to the first floor of their home – a folly that dates back to the 1800s and has its own tower, complete with flagpole.

But the local council planning authority have refused permission for the extensive extension.

Neighbours had opposed the planning application to the local authority, complaining the building works will cause noise and disruption and have a negative impact on the local wildlife and greenery, and that the proposal's purpose is purely for "luxury living".

Local resident Liliana Velez wrote: "Due to Covid I work from home... My workspace is right by the project.. Having the noise all week all day for so many months is not the standard of living in such an expensive area to live. I do not pay taxes to get this level of disruption, it is not quality of life."

And Barnaby Martin complained: "As the proposed works are purely cosmetic, and not essential, I don’t see them as being worth the overwhelmingly negative effect on the lives and work of the people who live here."

Willoughby and Baldwin still have a previous planning application being considered - requesting just to slightly extend one of the first floor bedrooms.

The couple – who have three children, Harry, 12, Belle, 10, and Chester, six – purchased the property in 2011 and the following year carried out extensive renovations to the ground floor, including extending the kitchen and living area and installing a bar.

They have since built a swimming pool and pool house, installed a super basement and felled several trees in the sizeable grounds.

The Sun reported that neighbours have objected to Willoughby flying a Union Jack from the tower of the property.

And MailOnline reported that in 2013 a local resident sent an anonymous letter to the house accusing them of disturbing neighbours at night with their "drunken behaviour".

Baldwin responded by emailing 50 residents, saying: "The letter was extremely rude and overly aggressive (I'll save you the gory details).

"It wrongly accused us of keeping the whole neighbourhood up last night with drunken behaviour."

Watch: Holly Willoughby reveals she goes to bed commando