Neighbors and their renovations can be an annoyance, no matter who you live beside. But for the neighbors of tech tycoon and entrepreneur Peter Dubens, this seemingly common issue takes on a whole new level.
According to The Standard, Dubens, the founder of private equity firm Oakley Capital, is planning a massive basement building project beneath his already huge $10 million McMansion in Chelsea, London. If you couldn't guess, his neighbors are not lovin' it.
One nearby resident claimed previous renovations by Dubens had already damaged their wall, and others said their cars and sewage were impacted by his three-year-long prior project.
"Complete vanity project for rich people that give no thought to the lives of their neighbours," one resident said, per The Standard. "The lives of residents will be hell."
The McMansion debate online is relentless, with the general public making fun of these massive homes for being on the excessive side, and often not quite aesthetically appealing. One McMansion in Alabama sparked criticism for its "bleak" design and unnecessary three giant garages.
These houses do more than occasionally hurt our eyes or annoy neighbors. They require more energy to keep them running, thus having a large environmental impact. Furthermore, residents in Dubens' neighborhood fear the pollution that will emanate from the construction project.
"The impact of increased levels of traffic, noise and dust pollution will be unbearable for the neighbourhood and will affect the quality of our lives on a daily basis over a long period of time," one neighbor told The Standard.
The planning application for the basement addition is still awaiting governmental review and approval, but it's fair to assume what verdict the nearby residents are hoping for.
To offset your personal contribution to pollution, taking up a tiny home lifestyle is a great move in the opposite direction from McMansions. Another potentially more attainable option is to install solar panels. Not only do the panels not emit toxic fumes, but they can bring your monthly energy bill down to record lows — even $0 a month.
EnergySage is a convenient source for solar quotes, making installation even more straightforward. Plus, EnergySage is a free service, making it easy to compare quotes from vetted local installers and save up to $10,000 on solar installations.
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