Billie Faiers confirmed she and husband Greg Shepherd have received the green light to start building their £1.4 million Essex dream home.
In an exclusive interview with MailOnline, the reality star, 30, revealed turning the rundown 1920s property in Brentwood into a five-bedroom luxury mansion will take a year after plans were delayed as neighbours deemed their submission ‘too grand’.
The mother-of-two, who shares Nelly, six, and Arthur, three, with the businessman, also admitted their family have experienced ‘highs and lows’ in recent months as she touched on life in lockdown ahead of the return of Sam and Billie: The Mummy Diaries on Thursday.
EXCLUSIVE: ‘We’ve had some highs and lows!’ Billie Faiers confirmed she and husband Greg Shepherd have received the green light to start building their £1.4 million Essex dream home
The TV stars – who purchased the house in January – will demolish the existing garage and conservatory to build a two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension.
The abode will also be complete with an in-and-out driveway along with a single-storey front extension and landscape work.
On finally being able to kick off work on their abode, the former TOWIE star told us: ‘We’re so pleased and finally got there in the end.
‘They’ve estimated it’ll take a year to complete the renovations, which is very long time but we all know how quick time goes nowadays. We’re living in our current home in the moment and stay here until the work is done.’
Off they go: The reality star, 30, revealed transforming the 1920s property into a five-bedroom home will take a year after neighbours deemed their plans ‘too grand’ (home pictured)
Lockdown life: The mother-of-two, who shares Nelly, six, and Arthur, three, with the businessman, also admitted their family have experienced ‘highs and lows’ in recent months
A previous rejection response from the council officer’s report stated: ‘It would be the biggest house on the street and the increase in size from the original home would not be acceptable.’
The neighbours had concerns about whether the home would be sympathetic to the local area, despite the previous owners being granted permission to build two houses on the land.
The nearby residents had expressed concern that the property would be too close to theirs and affect their privacy.
But last month, they wrote to the council accepting amended plans after criticising their renovations.
Wow-factor! The TV stars will demolish the existing garage and conservatory to build a two-storey side extension and a single-storey rear extension (plan pictured)
Impressive: The house – which they purchased in January – will also be complete with an in-and-out driveway along with a single-storey front extension and landscape work
One told the council: ‘I give my response to the amended drawings for the above property which, whilst I would have liked to have had similar window treatment to bedroom 4 as that of bedroom 2, I find to be acceptable in principle.’
Further comments went on to say that if the couple’s house ‘fits the character of the area, it would have my support’.
Among the changes that were in the revised plan were to make the height of the planned extension 50 centimetres lower and to ensure their home is further from their neighbours.
Elsewhere in the interview, Billie admitted she and her longtime partner, who she married last March, have struggled to juggle their busy work schedules in lockdown.
‘We all know how quick time goes nowadays’: On finally being able to kick off work on their abode, the former TOWIE star told us: ‘We’re so pleased and finally got there in the end’
The media personality said: ‘In the beginning of lockdown, I really enjoyed it, but there were moments where we were bickering as a family – you’ll see in the show!
‘The kids are in school and nursery usually and we’re working so we don’t always spend that time together usually. We had highs and lows [laughs].’
Their children have been at home ever since the government shut down schools across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sharing her delight at their return to education, the blonde joked: ‘Nellie went back last term for a couple of days and it was so good for her.
‘I’m more than happy for mine to go back’: Their children have been at home ever since the government shut down schools across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic
‘Her school will be kept as normal as possible, I can’t wait for routine back in my house so I’m more than happy for mine to go back.
Her younger sister Sam, who shares Paul Jr., four, and Rosie, two, with her longtime partner Paul Knightley added: ‘We had an email from our school and everything is going to be normal, which is the most important thing for me.
‘Teachers don’t have to work masks and they’ll obviously be cleaning the classrooms everyday. This is Paul’s first time at school and I just want it to be the happy place we all remember.
‘If it wasn’t going to be like that, I would have strongly thought about sending him in, but I’m pretty confident it’ll be a nice, happy environment.’
The close siblings also revealed they still plan on having a third child at the same time, with Billie explaining: ‘We first had the first four babies one after the other, so it was technically four years that we couldn’t even enjoy a glass of wine together.
‘We thought that if we’d have a third, we might as well have it at the same time, so we can go through all of the pregnancy ups and downs together.’
Sam and Billie: The Mummy Diaries Series 8 starts Thursday 3rd September at 9pm on ITVBe.
‘We can go through all of the pregnancy ups and downs together’: Billie and her sister Sam, 29, still plan on having a third child at the same time