EDEN CONFIDENTIAL: James Bond star Daniel Craig and wife Rachel Weisz win fight to cut down laurel tree in their £6million London home as they prepare for a lavish garden revamp

As James Bond, he was often able to quickly take down his enemies in a hail of bullets.

But when it comes to chopping down trees in his £6million London mansion, Daniel Craig likes to take them down slowly – limb by limb.

He and his wife, Oscar-winning actress Rachel Weisz, have been given the green light to level a backyard laurel tree “by sectional take-down.”

The Hollywood couple applied to the municipality for a ‘license to kill’ to allow a garden renovation and the planting of more trees.

They needed permission because their monumental terraced house, which dates from 1840, is located in a protected nature reserve.

There were no objections from neighbors, but Colin Jacobson, a resident for more than 50 years, called for other trees to be protected.

In a letter to the council, neighbor Colin Jacobson wrote: ‘My concern is to ensure that the fall of this tree and associated garden developments do not adversely affect the two beautiful plane trees at the rear of the site.

‘These trees have been an integral part of my family’s lives and experiences and also provide vital oxygen to this notoriously traffic-polluted area.

‘I therefore urge the Tree Department to be extremely vigilant in ensuring the long-term survival of these trees in this and future similar applications.

‘It would also be encouraging to receive reassurance from applicants that they too value the plane trees and will do all they can to protect and care for them.’

It’s not the first time Daniel and Rachel have gotten into a fight over a tree.

In 2017, a neighbor claimed that the roots of an 80-foot plane tree in the couple’s garden were causing cracks in his Victorian home.

But it was saved from the chainsaw after Craig and Rachel applied to the council to cut it back – rather than fell it.

Craig and Weisz bought their mansion in the British capital for £3.2 million in 2008, but it is now believed to be worth £6 million.

Daniel plans to expand his lavish home with a Dressing Room-style makeover.

They want to demolish a ‘poorly constructed’ conservatory and build a larger rear extension with a balcony above, and carry out a Ground Force-style garden regeneration.

The couple want to move the kitchen from the front to the back of the property and make internal changes, including widening the opening in the rear wall of the lower ground floor.

They also want to split the double reception room on the ground floor in two and install a larger rear window on the first floor in their five-bedroom home.

In a design statement, the couple’s planning agent said: ‘The proposed new extension would replace an existing late 20th century conservatory, which is poorly constructed and inefficient (it is very cold in winter and overheated in summer) and does not in accordance with expectations. original building.

‘This would mean that the least successful part of the existing building (in terms of materials, form and proportions) could be recast so that it is elevated to a quality equal to the rest of the property.

‘The enlarged extension allows the kitchen (the busiest room in the house) to be moved to the back of the property, giving it direct contact with the garden and bringing in much more natural light.

‘On the ground floor it is proposed to restore the wall between the two reception rooms to create a formal sitting room and separate TV room.

‘On the ground floor cupboard wing, the existing study would be divided to allow for a guest toilet on the stair transition between the ground floor and the lower ground floor.’

The agent added: ‘Elsewhere, the majority of the existing building fabric will remain unaffected by the proposed scheme.

‘The reconfigured accommodation resulting from this proposal would improve the balance between the main living areas of the house. Overall, the impact of the subject property and its surroundings would be positive.”

Craig, 55, and Weisz, 53, bought the pad in 2008 for £3.2 million but it is now thought to be worth £6 million.

It comprises a basement kitchen, conservatory, utility room, bedroom and bathroom with a double reception room and study on the ground floor.

There is a master bedroom, dressing room and bathroom on the first floor and three further bedrooms and two bathrooms on the second floor.

In 2010, the couple were given the green light for internal changes to the first floor, including a reconfiguration of the layout and the relocation of two internal doors.

They also obtained planning permission to move an existing bathroom to the rear and remove a partition wall that separated the master bedroom and bathroom.