london india along with russia japan saudi arabia and lebanon has supported france in its protest against a uk property billionaires plan to construct a fourstorey basement next to the french diplomatic residence here according to a media report french ambassador sylvie bermann 62 argues that the planned basement next to her diplomatic home in london would infringe their diplomatic rights under the 1961 vienna convention india russia japan saudi arabia and lebanon have backed bermanns protest against the proposed fourstorey basement in kensington palace gardens londons most expensive address the diplomats who all live on the same exclusive west london street have written to their freeholder the crown estate urging it to protect the integrity of our residences they object to plans by billionaire property entrepreneur jon hunt whose wealth is calculated at 12 billion pound in the sunday times rich list to create a fourstorey basement under his back lawn to house his classic car and motorbike collection for which he received planning consent in 2010 the diplomats refer to article 22 of the vienna convention which obliges host states to protect diplomats premises from intrusion or damage and prevent disturbances of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity the sunday times reported indias backing is likely to have come from recently retired indian high commissioner to the uk ranjan mathai his successor navtej sarna is set to move in to the property this month as he takes charge of the office bermann who became ambassador in august 2014 lives in a 19thcentury mansion which was previously the residence of the 10th duke of marlborough it has been rented by the french government since 1946 hunt 62 and his wife lois 60 a former nurse bought the former soviet embassy a grade iilisted eightbedroom mansion next door for almost 16 million pound in 2005 the scale of the underground work planned is such that were work to proceed it could jeopardise diplomatic activities said a spokesperson for the french embassy hunt is yet to comment on the row