Banking tycoon Sir Victor Blank has taken Hampstead Garden Suburb Trust to the Court of Appeal in an ongoing legal battle over plans for an underground swimming pool near his home.

Last April, High Court judge Mr Justice Henderson refused Sir Victor’s application for an injunction stopping the trust from approving plans for a basement extension to a six-bedroom mansion near his Suburb home.

On Tuesday, Sir Victor’s legal team - representing his company Shebelle Enterprises Limited - appealed against the judge’s refusal.

The trust’s legal team also attended the Court of Appeal hearing and will now await a decision from sitting judges Lady Justice Mary Arden, Lord Justice David Kitchin and Lord Justice Richard McCombe.

Sir Victor, a former chairman of Lloyds Banking Group, originally launched the legal action against the trust in December 2012 in light of objections from a group of about 12 residents – including top judge Sir Brian Leveson and TV presenter Richard Madeley – who live close to the proposed basement extension.

The group fear that removing earth to create the basement could cause significant damage to neighbouring homes.