Luxury footwear founder Bronte Mance wins Belgravia home expansion appeal

Bronte Mance, co-founder of luxury footwear brand Naked Wolfe, has won an appeal to expand her Belgravia home. The Planning Inspectorate overturned Westminster Council's refusal, allowing her to merge a basement flat with her four-storey maisonette.

The decision also approves plans for a rear conservatory, new windows, landscaping, and an outdoor swimming pool. Mance first applied to combine her maisonette with the separate basement flat in Belgravia. Westminster Council rejected the proposal, claiming it would create an excessively large home and remove a rental unit from the market.

She took the case to the Planning Inspectorate, where Ann Veevers reviewed the plans. The inspector ruled in Mance's favour, stating the changes would not disproportionately enlarge the property. The swimming pool, a key point of contention, was also approved despite objections.

A neighbour had opposed the pool, warning it would increase noise and disrupt the area's historic tranquility. However, the inspector found these concerns did not outweigh the project's compliance with planning rules.

Naked Wolfe, which Mance co-founded with her siblings in 2017, has grown into a sought-after luxury brand. Its shoes are sold in high-end retailers like Selfridges and Harrods, and the company operates a flagship store in Mayfair. The siblings have also been recognised in Forbes' 30 Under 30 list. The approval allows Mance to proceed with merging the flats and building the pool. The decision confirms that the modifications meet planning guidelines despite earlier objections. The expanded property will now move forward as originally proposed.