Although many people like to settle into a dwelling with their spouse after getting married, Dua Lipa isn’t able to move into her home with new husband and potential James Bond candidate, Callum Turner, and won’t be doing so for quite some time. That’s despite spending a fortune to purchase the home and forking over millions more to renovate the residence.
It Will Be At Least Another Year Before Dua Can Move In
“Lipa still can’t move into her London pad SIX years after buying it for £6.75M [as] mega renovations go at a snail’s pace,” the Daily Mail recently reported. “The renovations on the dream London home which she bought in 2020 are of a scale and sensitivity which mean she’s not getting in until next summer. Dua’s team started putting in planning applications in 2021 but work only started in 2024, once they finally had the green light.”
Indeed, “Back in 2021, Dua applied for planning permission for the proposed works because the property lies in a designated conservation area but a local neighbourhood forum objected to the application.”
The singer has “plans to build a mega basement,” which involves “creating a huge gym, cinema, swimming pool and music studio — all underground,” per the Mail. “At 310 square metres, the renovations will be four times the size of the previous basement. 500 tonnes of soil has been excavated, and her team has to dig at least six metres under the surface without affecting 17 historic trees surrounding the property as subsidence and flooding is a serious concern for neighbouring homes.”
That’s why, as the Mail tells the couple’s fans, “[l]ocal conservation groups had complained about ‘loss of green space’, ‘loss of trees’, and ‘drainage issues.'”
“Dua’s team have done their best to appease neighbours and displayed a list of noise, dust and waste control measures, as well as contact details if anyone has a complaint stating that they are ‘committed to minimising disruption to local residents and businesses during the construction works,'” the Mail notes.
That’s surely why, “[t]he basement’s top will be ‘a biodiverse roof garden blanket on a biodegradable carrier, providing food and habitat for the local wildlife,'” the Mail informs readers. On top of that, “[a]s part of the planning application agreement, all machinery and equipment has to be mounted with ‘anti-vibration isolators.'”
“It’s a huge job — and it will be a further 13 months until it’s complete,” per the Mail That’s tight, she’s “going to have to wait a year to be carried over the threshold by her husband, … with the work predicted to continue until July 2027.”
‘No Expense Will Be Spared’ by Dua While Renovating Her Home
GettyWhile the renovations on Lipa’s home are taking quite a bit of time, they also require quite a large budget.
“Design expert Leigh Ann Raines says this sort of undertaking for an A-list star will cost £3million and involves some of London’s finest designers and contractors,” the Daily Mail mentioned.
Raines, creative director and founder of Chic By Design, told the Mail, “[Dua] could be investing £3million to make this a home that suits her needs. While expanding an existing home is always a lengthy process, excavation beneath an existing structure is much more involved than expanding out or up.”
“In Dua’s case, the construction team is following strict precaution not to disturb neighbours,” Raines added. “They are employing manual methods and adapted tools to dig the basement, avoiding noise and vibration. This takes time. Rome was not built in a day!”
GettyBeyond that, Raines mentioned, “Any project involving structural changes takes time. I have led renovation projects that took over three years to complete. The number of decisions and collaboration required with all stakeholders and artisans is immense, down to the customised joinery built to display or store her belongings to lighting inside a drawer.”
When it comes to the cost, Raines explains, “No expense will be spared to ensure this will be a respite for Dua who works hard and needs a sanctuary to escape to during down time at home, or to be creative in the comfort of her home.”
