Net-a-Porter founder Dame Natalie Massenet infuriates neighbour with extensive building works to give her Grade II listed 12-bed mansion once owned by Prime Minister Sir Anthony Eden a 'warm, friendly' makeover
- Dame Natalie was given permission to renovate the £4.1million property in 2017
- Subsequent 'noise, dirt and disruption' has raised eyebrows in her sleepy village
- Neighbour commented on a new application to complain about her treatment
Net-a-Porter founder Dame Natalie Massenet has infuriated a neighbour by carrying out extensive building works to give her Grade II listed 12-bed mansion a 'warm and friendly' makeover.
Dame Natalie was given permission to renovate the £4.1million property in 2017, but the subsequent 'noise, dirt and general disruption' has raised eyebrows in the sleepy 400-resident village of Donhead St Andrew near Salisbury.
A new application for landscape works prompted an angry comment from local Christine Benson, who raged at the previous disruption and the businesswoman to 'have the courtesy to make contact with her closest neighbours'.
Dame Natalie was given permission to renovate the £4.1million property in 2017, but the subsequent 'noise, dirt and general disruption' has raised eyebrows in the sleepy village of Donhead St Andrew near Salisbury
Anthony Eden lived at Donhead House after the Suez Crisis. These images were all taken prior to Dame Natalie's restoration
Dame Natalie bought Donhead House in 2014 for £4.1m. Pictured is the kitchen, before her refurbishments
The new plans refer to plans to landscape a 'high-quality garden', including a greenhouse and stone-lined swimming pool.
Mrs Benson, who lives opposite Dame Natalie's 300-year-old mansion - where Anthony Eden lived after Suez – said she had no objections to the new plans but was angry about how she had been treated during the previous work.
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In a sharply worded written comment to the council she wrote: 'Having suffered months/years of extraordinary noise dirt and general disruption during this restoration my final comment is that it would be a courtesy and greatly appreciated if the future incumbent were to make personal contact with her closest neighbours who have been obliged to tolerate these extensive building works for her "family home".'
The businesswoman (pictured in Paris on July 3) founded online clothes site Net-a-Porter from her London flat in 2000, and is now though to be worth more than £150million
She continued: 'My comments refer to subsequent plans. The rear yard used for deliveries is directly opposite the privately owned shared drive.
'Under no circumstances should any delivery vehicle turn in this drive, nor should it park opposite.'
Mrs Benson, who lives in a £1million home just yards from Dame Natalie, also called for an on-site generator to be removed, because it 'emits a constant hum'.
'It would be nice [to meet her],' she said. 'I have never met her, and I only live opposite.
'According to the builders she is hoping to be in by Christmas, which looking at the scaffolding at the moment I think that is doubtful.
'She is going to be a close neighbour and it would be nice to know who I am living next too.'
Mrs Benson said the only contact she had had with was three years ago 'through the gardener when she allowed parking for the church service opposite' for her husband's funeral.
'The manager sent a big bouquet of flowers but that is the only contact I have had,' she said.
The property is located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has its own swimming pool and tennis courts
Wood-panelled walls created a warm and homely effect inside the mansion's lengthy corridors
The new plans refer to plans to landscape a 'high-quality garden', including a greenhouse and stone-lined swimming pool (pictured)
Dame Natalie founded online clothes site Net-a-Porter from her London flat in 2000, and is now though to be worth more than £150million.
In September 2017, she announced the birth of her son Jet Everest with her photographer partner Erik Torstensson, 38, with the help of a surrogate.
She bought Donhead House in 2014 for £4.1m, and during refurbishments added new features including a pizza oven and underfloor heating.
The property is located within an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and has its own swimming pool and tennis courts.
Wiltshire Council is expected to make its decision on the planning application later in the year.
Net-a-Porter chief Natalie Massenet and her husband Erik Torstensson: Fashion's power couple
Natalie Massenet, 54, is married to 38-year-old Swedish-born photographer Erik Torstensson.
The couple met when Mr Torstensson's company was responsible for the design and branding strategy of Mr Porter - Net-a-Porter's spin off site for men - even thinking up the witty title for the business.
It was revealed they were dating in late 2011, the same year Natalie split from her husband and a year after Erik's engagement broke down.
The entrepreneur with her partner Swedish photographer Erik Torstensson, 38. The couple had their first child in 2017
Despite being brought up on a farm, Erik knew he wanted a career in graphic design from an early age.
He attended the exclusive Bergh advertising school in Stockholm, 40 miles from his home near Uppsala.
In 1999, he was spotted by Tyler Brule, the author and entrepreneur who launched Wallpaper magazine, and who persuaded Erik to come and work for him in London.
Eventually Erik set up The Saturday Group with fellow Swede Jens Grede who also worked at Wallpaper, and described it as 'a creative agency... for the luxury and media industries'.
The pair spent a brief stint as editors-in-chief of Man About Town, before launching Industrie magazine in 2009.
The biannual publication is a bible chronicling fashion's most important industry figures.
And the multi-talented pair are also co-founders of LA-based Frame Denim, which centres around innovative washes and cutting-edge fabrics.
In September 2017, they announced the birth of their son Jet Everest, who was conceived with the help of a surrogate.
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