A former Olympic rower is embroiled in a row with her neighbours over their plans to build a gym studio she fears will ruin her privacy.
Games silver medalist Miriam Luke MBE, 60, is among objectors in picturesque Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, railing against the proposal.
One of her neighbours Lucy Marsh wants to build a single-storey side extension in their back garden.
But the retired rower fears the plans, which want to replace an existing garage and shed with a ‘contemporary’ building, will negatively impact her.
The designs include an entrance hall and snug/study, an open-plan living and kitchen area, alongside a utility and shower room.
This will also be accompanied by a four metre by seven metre ‘garden room’ which is specifically designed to ‘allow space for a studio/gym with showering facilities’.
The planning application, submitted on March 3, is currently being considered by her local council, who with a target decision date of April 30.
A design and access statement given by Simon March Architecture declares that ‘careful consideration has been given to ensuring that the adjacent bungalows are not affected by the extension and that their right to life is respected.’
It adds: ‘The proposed garden room is to be offset from the boundary by 1.3m minimum, possibly timber cladding and to have a flat roof to minimise visual impact.’
However, nearby resident Ms Luke said she was ‘concerned about the size and location’ of the extension, citing fears for its close proximity to the neighbouring fence, significant noise and even the likelihood of it becoming a rental let.
Ms Luke said: ‘There are currently two very tall trees, a diseased, ivy clad, horse chestnut and an evergreen. What will happen to the two trees when the studio/gym is built?
‘Currently we enjoy the privacy they create for our gardens and house however they are also very tall and obscure sunshine from our solar panels for a few hours in the morning.’
Ms Luke won a silver medal at the 2000 games in Sydney, , competing in the quadruple scull with her younger sister, Guin.
The crew successfully brought home Britain’s first ever women’s Olympic rowing medal, with the renowned athlete then going on to chair the Henley Women’s Regatta from 2012 to 2021, alongside serving as the Village Manager for Rowing and Canoe Sprint for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
After 40 years of dedication to the sport, Ms Luke was then even awarded an MBE in the 2024 New Year’s Honours List for her services to women’s rowing.
Now, she is amongst several other neighbours who have objected to the proposed building, with another nearby resident saying that they believed the height of the proposed garden studio would be ‘too close’ to their garden, and would therefore cause noise problems.
Ms Samantha Petrie said: ‘The garden room is too close to our boundary. The garden room listed as a gym/studio, together with the proposed shower room, raises concerns that it will be used as an Airbnb-type rental or used for classes by the public, thereby affecting amenity of the garden through noise.’
The Henley Society, a local civic society group that seek to ‘enhance Henley’s rich heritage’, even remarked that they fear the proposal could ‘double the size of the property’.
They added: ‘There is potential for serious light pollution and more details are required and so we recommend refusal for the time being.’
The proposed development proved divisive in a planning meeting on Tuesday, April 8, with both the Mayor Rory Hunt and Councillor Michelle Thomas being outspoken against the development’s impact on neighbouring trees and possibility for noise pollution.
Councillor Hunt said: ‘I think it’s overdevelopment and the impact on the trees is significant. The potential for light pollution is fairly high’.
Councillor Thomas also raised concerns about the development being ‘very near’ to neighbours’ boundaries, citing their fears that ‘the studio is going to be of harm’.
Councillor Thomas added: ‘The studio sits very high because of its position so it will be very visible for those people who want to enjoy their garden.
‘We should say it needs to be ancillary to the main dwelling because I think they mentioned it could be turned into some kind of Airbnb.’
However, Deputy Mayor Tom Buckley said he did not believe the plans could cause a ‘significant harm’ or impact on neighbouring properties, while Councillor Laurence Plant recommended mitigation as a method to help resolve the neighbour dispute surrounding the removal of the plants.
As a result, subject to the introduction of a replacement planting scheme, the committee recommended the approval of the building.
The council, who has decided not to name due to Ms Luke’s privacy concerns, declined to comment given that the planning application ‘is currently under consideration’.
Ms Luke and Ms Marsh were both approached for comment.