An executive at the company which makes mobile phone game Candy Crush has defeated opposition from celebrity neighbours to build a large basement extension to his £4million home.

Nick Pointon, a top executive at games-maker King, and his wife Claire were given the green light to build a 1,700-sq ft basement below their three-storey house in Ranelagh Avenue, Barnes by Richmond’s planning committee.

Former England footballer Lee Dixon and ex-Newsnight presenter Peter Snow were among those who opposed it, as were children’s author Judith Kerr and composer Howard Goodall.

Councillors voted five to three, with one abstention, in favour of granting planning application at a meeting in York House, Twickenham on Wednesday, January 11.

Mr Goodall, who lives next door to Mr Pointon, spoke against the proposal, arguing the development “clearly increases” flood risk to other properties, due to dammed and diverted ground water.

Mr Goodall said: “The houses have very shallow foundations. We’re living on top of water.

“The idea you’re simply going to dig a massive hole in it and everything will be fine, and there’s no danger from ground water flooding is to us, who live there and have lived there for 20 years – it just doesn’t make sense.

“The issue of basement development is unneighbourly and highly divisive, and the effect of noise and airborne pollution, negative effects to public health, environment, disturbance of the peace and overall levels of stress caused by years of construction is a matter of great concern.”

Speaking in the same meeting, Mr Pointon said he and his wife had done everything possible to ensure the basement will be built “carefully and properly”.

Mr Pointon said: “Our neighbours are understandably worried about the proposals.

“We have read each and every one of the objections and from this we are aware the majority of concerns are in relation to the construction works, ground water, flood risk and stability.

“We understand the inevitable impact any construction work would have, especially a basement development, and so have instructed the necessary qualified professionals to help us with our application.”

The plans, first submitted in October 2015, will increase the property's total floor space by almost 50 per cent.

Arsenal legend Mr Dixon, 52, who lives in Ranelagh Avenue, said in his letter: "I feel the digging out of basements in the area which has become frequent is contributing to an unstable foundation within the Lions Houses region."

"Many houses in the area including mine are suffering from subsidence to some degree."

Mr Snow, 78, said: "The original architects of these fine and substantially weighty buildings would be flabbergasted if they knew that anyone contemplated digging out basements underneath the houses they designed over 100 years ago.

"These houses were never built on strong enough ground to accommodate the building of basements."

Mr Pointon, 46, who is on sabbatical from his role as vice president of finance for King, said earlier this month that he had been "unfairly targeted" by a "coordinated neighbourhood campaign".