Although rock star Rod Stewart could no longer play football because of his knee injuries, he was given permission to build a football pitch at his £5million mansion.
His new home is a palatial 10-bedroom 18th century residence located on the edge of Epping Forest which is worth for £4.65million that he purchased in 2013 but it is only recently that Stewart is set to move in to the mansion.
Stewart loves playing football so much but he needed to give up that passion because of a knee injury back in 2014. Hence, it was the desire of 71-year-old Celtic fan Stewart to build a 3G artificial turf five-a-side pitch at his new home located in Durrington House in Harlow, Essex.
Epping Forest District Council has approved the construction of a five-a-side pitch on the site featuring a car park with 20 spaces next to it with fencing and trees surrounding it, Telegraph reported.
He also wanted to add floodlights to the 164ft by 101ft pitch so games can take place even at night but this was not approved since the area is next to a historic Grade II listed property. They added that evening matches may bring noise and nuisance to the neighbors.
"The artificial surface is an incongruous addition within the grounds of a mid-18th century house, however, the existing screening provided and hedging trees and the proposal to supplement these with additional native species will minimize views of the pitch and diminish the harm caused to the settings of the buildings," the report said according to Mail Online.
"There are no objections in principle. A larger proposal was approved at the previous property that the applicant owned and the difference between the artificial turf and natural grass is not considered unacceptable," the report continued.
The renovations of the house include the football pitch which also features a croquet lawn, rose garden, ornamental pond and guest cottages. The construction was also granted to add new doors, windows, entrance gates, and a breakfast wing.
Aside from this new home, Stewart also has a full-sized football pitch in his current residence in Wood House which is just a few miles from his new home.
