Back of the net for Neuer's dream villa
The Local Germany - [email protected]
Published: 16 Dec, 2014 CET.
Updated: Tue 16 Dec 2014 15:50 CET
It's classy and very glassy, and took some getting past the defence of the local building committee. But Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer can now build his dream home on an exclusive Bavarian lakeside - albeit without the woman who designed it with him.
Not even being a national sporting hero could could assure a short cut through Bavarian bureaucracy for Germany and FC Bayern goalie Manuel Neuer, 28, and his partner of five years Kathrin Gilch. This week, though, two months after their break-up, Neuer finally got planning permission for the three-storey glass-panelled villa on the picturesque and exclusive Tegernsee lake 50 kilometres south of Munich, Bavaria's Merkur newspaper reported on Tuesday. While current Tegernsee Mayor Johannes Hagn has said the community is "very proud that our world class goalie is building here", his predecessor Peter Janssen made a point of saying that no special breaks would be cut for the sportsman. "No football pitch will spring out of this," he told a local planning committee sitting in April as Neuer and Gilch submitted their application. 
Both attended subsequent planning committee meetings as spectators with architect Andreas Erlacher as their project was reviewed and amended. The requested facade height of six metres on one side of the hillside house was reduced to 5.5 metres, according to the paper. And initial plans for a conservatory-style winter garden measuring 4.5 metres by 6.5 metres were rejected as "oversized". Don't start the cement mixer just yet... But although Neuer now has planning permission, he still can't lay the foundations, district administration spokeswoman Gabriele Dorby said. Last requirements include him obtaining a certificate confirming that the villa exactly fits the plot of land as declared. Then its exact altitude over sea level must be established by laser measurement. And finally he must notify authorities about which construction firms will do the work. Built on a slope, the villa will be nine metres tall on the side facing the lake. With an area of almost 120 square metres, 74 square metres of the facade will be made of glass to enhance the view. A 12-metre swimming pool will also overlook the Tegernsee lake. But despite his break-up with model Gilch, Neuer is unlikely to lack for company at his new home. Since the October split, he has reportedly been spotted in romantic settings with at least one new belle. According to Bild newspaper, he came to a financial maintenance agreement with Gilch in exchange for her silence about their relationship. And should he feel like thrashing out the bumps in his love life with a pal, fellow national player Mesut Özil was another relationship casualty since Germany's World Cup triumph in Rio. Also in October, Özil split with German singer Mandy Capristo amid rumours of infidelity by the Arsenal player.
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Not even being a national sporting hero could could assure a short cut through Bavarian bureaucracy for Germany and FC Bayern goalie Manuel Neuer, 28, and his partner of five years Kathrin Gilch.
This week, though, two months after their break-up, Neuer finally got planning permission for the three-storey glass-panelled villa on the picturesque and exclusive Tegernsee lake 50 kilometres south of Munich, Bavaria's Merkur newspaper reported on Tuesday.
While current Tegernsee Mayor Johannes Hagn has said the community is "very proud that our world class goalie is building here", his predecessor Peter Janssen made a point of saying that no special breaks would be cut for the sportsman.
"No football pitch will spring out of this," he told a local planning committee sitting in April as Neuer and Gilch submitted their application.
Both attended subsequent planning committee meetings as spectators with architect Andreas Erlacher as their project was reviewed and amended.
The requested facade height of six metres on one side of the hillside house was reduced to 5.5 metres, according to the paper.
And initial plans for a conservatory-style winter garden measuring 4.5 metres by 6.5 metres were rejected as "oversized".
Don't start the cement mixer just yet...
But although Neuer now has planning permission, he still can't lay the foundations, district administration spokeswoman Gabriele Dorby said.
Last requirements include him obtaining a certificate confirming that the villa exactly fits the plot of land as declared. Then its exact altitude over sea level must be established by laser measurement.
And finally he must notify authorities about which construction firms will do the work.
Built on a slope, the villa will be nine metres tall on the side facing the lake. With an area of almost 120 square metres, 74 square metres of the facade will be made of glass to enhance the view. A 12-metre swimming pool will also overlook the Tegernsee lake.
But despite his break-up with model Gilch, Neuer is unlikely to lack for company at his new home. Since the October split, he has reportedly been spotted in romantic settings with at least one new belle.
According to Bild newspaper, he came to a financial maintenance agreement with Gilch in exchange for her silence about their relationship.
And should he feel like thrashing out the bumps in his love life with a pal, fellow national player Mesut Özil was another relationship casualty since Germany's World Cup triumph in Rio.
Also in October, Özil split with German singer Mandy Capristo amid rumours of infidelity by the Arsenal player.
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