Wednesday, 30 May 2012

A millionaire art dealer, Ivor Braka, is embroiled in a bitter row with his neighbours after he placed two sculptures worth tens of thousands of pounds in a communal garden without planning permission.

A millionaire art dealer, Ivor Braka, is embroiled in a bitter row with his neighbours after he placed two sculptures worth tens of thousands of pounds in a communal garden without planning permission.
On Monday night, it emerged that a complaint has been lodged with Kensington and Chelsea council, forcing Mr Braka to apply for retrospective planning permission Photo: REX FEATURES
The 57 year-old had placed the valuable artworks by two leading British artists in the garden behind his Grade II-listed Victorian house in Knightsbridge, central London as apart of an upgrade.

But neighbours of the art dealer, who includes David and Samantha Cameron among his friends, have been left unimpressed by the sculptures by Antony Gormley and Tracey Emin, which were put in the £100,000 garden.

On Monday night, it emerged that a complaint has been lodged with Kensington and Chelsea council, forcing Mr Braka to apply for retrospective planning permission.

If the council rejects his application, lodged late last month, he will be forced to take down Gormley's standing "Figure", which measures almost six feet tall. A similar sculpture sold last year at Christie's for almost £200,000.

Mr Braka, who specialises in selling the work of Lucian Freud and Francis Bacon and displays pieces for sale at his home, could also be forced to dismantle the Emin sculpture, titled "Bird on Pole", comprising of a 15ft pole topped by a tiny bird.

It is estimated to cost about £60,000.

Two "sculptural tree supports" beside a mulberry tree in the communal gardens, which are shared by about eight houses, would also have to be removed.

Neighbours said they objected to not being kept informed about the sculptures, which are said by the garden’s designer to “represent an integral part of the landscape design".

Resident Esperanza Koren said neighbours objected because they were not told of his decision.

“I love art but when you have a communal garden you shouldn't take advantage,” said the art dealer and television producer.

Another neighbour, who declined to be named, added: “I can imagine some people would think we're lucky to have these sculptures.

“But the problem is that he treats the communal garden as his own personal garden and we never know what is going on until it's too late."

Mr Braka, who with his artist wife Sarah Graham has reportedly hosted parties for Conservative party donors, declined to comment.

He has made donations of about £200,000 to the Tory Party in recent years, as well as a £10,000 donation to assist Boris Johnson during his Mayor of London re-election bid.

Last year he was also involved in a dispute with his neighbours when he began paving over the communal garden.

One female neighour complained and the police subsequently issued him with a harassment warning. He applied for retrospective permission on the steps from his house to the gardens and the council let him keep them.

A decision on the sculptures is expected later this summer.

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