FOOTBALLER Glenn Murray has been given the go-ahead for a £3million new build with a sheltered walkway between his garage and front door – to stop him getting wet.
The former Crystal Palace and Brighton striker, 39, has kicked off plans to bulldoze a 1970s bungalow and turn it into a luxury four-bedroom pad.
GettyGlenn Murray is building a mega-mansion[/caption]
How his new home will look after works are carried outJohn Pardey Architects (JPA)
The black timber clad farmstead-style house will boast a heated outdoor swimming pool, gym, snug, chicken coop, wildflower garden and fruit tree orchard.
It will also have a glazed entrance hall, guest suite, study, paved dining terrace and timber loggia to protect Murray from the rain in the short walk from his car.
The proposed development was ruled ‘on-side’ by planners at the local council after there were no objections from neighbours.
In a design statement, Murray‘s planning agent said: “A freestanding outbuilding (cars, plant, gym) sits to the west following the site boundary.
“This is fronted by a timber loggia that unites the three volumes (and allows travel from garage to front door without getting wet).
“A loggia at the front unites all three forms and provides sheltered access from the garage to the front door.’
Murray, now a football pundit, paid £1million for the corner plot with a purpose-built kennel and koi carp pond.
Conservationists were initially concerned about the “industrial” design of the new build with a “seemingly over-large” chimney, and harm to nearby listed buildings.
But Murray has now scaled down his plans and was given the green light by officials at his local District Council.
Murray played for Watford and Nottingham Forest in 2021 but retired that year aged 37.
He began his career in the USL Pro Soccer League playing for Wilmington Hammerheads before a Conference North switch to Barrow.
From there he worked his way up the leagues with a number of clubs, including Carlisle United and Rochdale.
He then moved to Brighton for the first of two spells which saw him score a total of 111 goals for the club.
Glenn has been given the go-ahead for a sheltered walkway between his garage and front door – to stop him getting wetJohn Pardey Architects (JPA)
Glenn retired from the game in 2021 and works as a punditGetty