HER Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cornwall, has become embroiled in a planning row involving one of her neighbours.

The Duchess, 71, kept her former home, the Grade II-listed Ray Mill House in Reybridge, near Lacock, after she married Prince Charles in 2005.

Her neighbour, Phil Clayton, of the Old Mill, applied in March to demolish an outbuilding at his property 70 yards away and replace it with a granny flat for his mother.

Charlie Craven, head of Prince Charles’s Highgrove estate 18 miles away in South Gloucestershire, was one of the people who wrote to Wiltshire Council with objections - using HRH-headed notepaper.

Mr Craven expressed concern over Mr Clayton’s proposal, which involved demolishing an outbuilding and replacing it with a new, timber-clad, slate-roofed structure for ancillary accommodation.

Acting on behalf of Ray Mill House and Square House, Mr Craven said: “I believe it will have a negative effect on the flow of water from the river during periods of flooding.

Although conceding that this would “not directly affect Ray Mill House”, he added: “The river has flooded numerous times. Anything that hinders or alters the natural flow of the river to the detriment of other properties is clearly unacceptable.”

Mr Craven later wrote again, saying the proposed design “appears to be larger and higher than the existing building which clearly goes against the Design Statement”.

Other neighbours in Reybridge and Lacock Parish Council also objected strongly to the scheme on the grounds of flood risk, a potential increase in traffic, and inappropriate development in a conservation area.

Cllr Ben Anderson, the Wiltshire Council member for Corsham Without and Box Hill, asked for Mr Clayton’s application to be called in before approval or refusal was given on the grounds of its relationship to the Duchess’s home next door and the impact on highways.

Wiltshire Council has now rejected the proposal, submitted by Mr Clayton’s agent, Richard Harlow, of A Harlow & Sons at West Ashton.

Mr Harlow said: “I have worked with Mr Clayton for many years. I believe he is reviewing the situation. It’s certainly not his intention to upset anyone.”