Marcus Bettinelli faces neighbours' objections after tarmacking verge outside Cobham home

Manchester City goalkeeper Marcus Bettinelli has been drawn into a dispute with neighbours after creating an on‑street parking bay by tarmacking over a grass verge outside his Cobham, Surrey, home without securing prior planning permission, according to planning documents and local reports.

Bettinelli has applied for retrospective consent for the works, which were carried out in February, but Elmbridge Council planners could still require the area to be restored. Around half a dozen residents on the private estate have objected to the concrete development, saying it is "visually intrusive" and amounts to an "erosion of green landscape."

Documents filed at Elmbridge Council describe the new parking bay as having been built within the ownership boundary of Bettinelli's property. In a statement, his planning agent said the works "fall entirely within the ownership boundary of the property and have been developed," adding that the alterations were "minimal in nature and have no impact on the surrounding properties, street scene or character of the area." The agent said the owner was unaware planning permission would be required for such alterations.

Objectors said the move was out of keeping with estate guidelines. "Parking on a verge is completely against the character of this estate and against its development guidelines," one resident wrote. "There are no parking bays on verges anywhere on the estate. It is an erosion of green landscape, replaced by tarmac." Another wrote that the additional parking created a "visually intrusive expanse of tarmac" and warned that approving the application would set a precedent for other properties to remove green frontages.

Residents also raised concerns that large trees at the front of the property had been felled. Critics said the property already had parking for multiple vehicles after what they described as conversion of garden space to hardstanding, making an additional bay unnecessary.

Bettinelli bought the property for about £1.5 million in 2023, and it is now said to be worth roughly £2 million after the grant of permission for a kitchen and bedroom extension. The goalkeeper moved to Manchester City in June on a one‑year contract to act as a back‑up option. He previously spent four years at Chelsea, where he made one senior appearance.

Elmbridge Council will determine whether retrospective consent will be granted or whether the works must be removed. Local planning rules can require restoration where alterations within a property's boundary nevertheless affect the street scene or breach estate covenants; councillors and planning officers will consider the objections lodged by neighbours alongside the agent's submission.

Daily Mail Sport reported the dispute and said it had contacted Bettinelli's representatives for comment. As of publication, there was no public response from the goalkeeper.

The case highlights common tensions on suburban private estates where householders seek more parking and driveways while neighbours and local authorities weigh conservation of green frontages and established estate character. Any formal planning decision by Elmbridge Council will be published on the council's planning portal and may include conditions or enforcement measures if permission is refused or granted with modifications.