It’s been dogged by problems and controversy, but the Hollywood-style mansion commissioned by Welsh actress Catherine Zeta-Jones in the Swansea suburb of Mumbles is finally ready for occupation.
The 5,000-square-foot mansion, which features bullet-proof windows throughout, boasts a library, Jacuzzi, sauna and home gym as well as four en-suite bedrooms and a state-of-the-art kitchen. Faced with expensive Gloucester limestone, it has a copper-roofed balcony imported from the US at a cost of £40,000, to allow Catherine and husband Michael Douglas to enjoy vistas of the Gower’s Limeslade beach when they are in town.
Despite the money which has obviously been lavished on the couple’s Welsh pied a terre – £2.3 million in total - its construction was hardly smooth sailing.
Windows and garage doors, both of which had been imported specially from the US, were found to be the wrong size and had to be replaced. There has also been an ongoing conflict between the site’s developer, Steve Gwynn, and Catherine’s parents, who will live on the villa’s lower floor. Gwynn had planned on housing his communications business on the estate, leading the actress’ father to complain to the local council on privacy grounds. While the complaint was rejected, Mr Jones plans on appealing.
Of the property’s new residents Mr Gwynn says: “I don’t know when they are going to move in because they don’t speak to me any more. It is silly, but that’s how it is with them.”
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
