London, Apr.10 : England cricketer Andrew Flintoff has been forced to withdraw plans to build a five-floor house in a Cheshire village after fierce complaints from neighbours. According to The Telegraph, Flintoff aimed to build a property far larger than the two-storey house he bought from Mark Hughes, the Blackburn Rovers manager, for about 1.85 million pounds last year and then demolished.

The plans included provision for two storeys below ground to house two swimming pools, a gym, sauna, cinema, bar, snooker and pool rooms and changing rooms.

On the ground floor, Flintoff and his wife, Rachael, wanted a large kitchen and breakfast room, a drawing room, study and dining room; while the second and third storeys would have contained six bedrooms, all en-suite.

However, the height of the new building, its imposing nature and the effect it would have on the area were unacceptable to neighbours in Mottram St Andrew, near Macclesfield, who lodged objections with planners.

The previous house was set back from the road and barely visible behind hedges. However, the vegetation has all gone and the Flintoffs' proposed home, which included a detached garage, would have dominated its plot.

Among the objectors was the Flintoffs' neighbour, Norman Braithwaite, who argued against the plans on the basis of its size, visual impact on the area and because it was "very environmentally unfriendly".

The large houses springing up in the area were "damaging the community," he said.

ANI