Camilla Parker Bowles slams neighbour for planned extension which could ‘flood country home’ where she stays with Prince Charles

CAMILLA Parker Bowles has slammed her neighbour for his planned extension, which she claims could flood her country home.

The Duchess of Cornwall's neighbour in Lacock, Wiltshire, has been given approval to turn an outbuilding on his estate into a granny flat for his elderly mother.

Phil Clayton bought The Old Mill, which is situated nextdoor to the 71-year-old's Grade-II listed home, Ray Mill House, last year.

Since then, neighbours have faced a number of planning applications, which Camilla, who bought her property in 1986, has blasted as "unacceptable".

There were 14 other letters of complaint to the council, which has a population of only 38 residents, addressing issues of flooding.

The village is on a low-lying area surrounded by the River Avon and its tributaries.

In 2016, a 12-hour torrential rain storm caused roads to be blocked and the Avon burst its banks, flooding houses and gardens.

She wrote two angry letters to Wiltshire Council through Charlie Craven, the manager of Prince Charles' Highgrove estate.

Writing in September, he said: "The outbuilding in question which is in a Flood 3 zone will, as I have previously stated, have a negative affect on the flow of water from the river during any periods of flooding and I am now more concerned as the proposed footprint has been increased.

"This will all lead to a damaging affect... anything that hinders or alters the natural flow of the river to the detriment of other properties is clearly unacceptable."

After several complaints in September and warnings from the drainage and environmental agencies, Mr Clayton altered his plans.

He changed the angle of the building by 90 degrees, so as to decrease the chance of flooding, but he also increased the size of the accommodation by 25 per cent.

But after this Mr Craven wrote another letter, stating: "We are perplexed however, as to why they feel the need to increase the footprint by 25% when they have already increased the size of the garage by 50% and built an additional and relatively substantial building by the river to the SE of the main house.

"In a previous application, Mr. and Mrs Clayton wrote 'The replacement building will match the same massing, design and height as the existing structure it will replace'.

";We therefore object to any size increase."

Mr Clayton already has permission to completely overhaul the main building at his property and turn the garage into a gym.

This work will mean that Camilla faces months of disruption at a property that she sees as her retreat.

Friends say Ray Mill House is important to Camilla as it's where she spends time with her children, Tom Parker Bowles and Laura Lopes, and her five grandchildren.

A pal previously said: "That house is where she can cook scrambled eggs in her dressing gown and be among those she loves with not a jot of ceremony or anyone looking at her.

"It is home."

Another said: "At Ray Mill she can sit down with a big G&T, kick of her shoes."

Despite strong local protest, the council approved the new application as long as the builders kept to strong drainage and working conditions.

The environment agency and Lacock Parish Council both withdrew its arguments against the development once flooding and drainage issues had been resolved.

Clarence House said as it's "a private matter" it wasn't something they would comment on.

We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at tips@the-sun.co.uk or call 0207 782 4368 . You can WhatsApp us on 07810 791 502. We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours.