The saga of fashion designer Stefano Gabbana’s move to Primrose Hill has been rumbling on for months now but it looks as though the Italian giant’s arrival in one of north London’s most exclusive villages is close.

Ham & High: A fire broke out at the Primrose Hill mansion of Stefano Gabbana, which is undergoing refurbishment, this morningA fire broke out at the Primrose Hill mansion of Stefano Gabbana, which is undergoing refurbishment, this morning (Image: Archant)

In September, the Ham&High exclusively revealed that Mr Gabbana, co-founder of global fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana, had bought a seven-bedroom home in Regent’s Park Road after an acrimonious bidding war with Hollywood couple Sam and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who live opposite.

The following month, this newspaper reported on complaints from neighbours about rowdy parties thrown by couple Jeremy and Erin Morris, who live close to the Gabbana home.

Now builders have descended on Chez Gabbana to tidy up the property ahead of an anticipated visit from the owner, who parted with an eye-watering £13.5million to beat Fifty Shades of Grey director Ms Taylor-Wood and her actor hubby to the house.

The home is currently covered in scaffolding and teeming with builders, busy hammering and sanding away.

Mr Gabbana has requested new windows and a fresh lick of paint to the exterior, as well as applying to Camden Council to install a new air conditioning system and wood flooring and railings in the back garden.

But not everyone is excited about the fashion icon’s big move.

Neighbours have been left less than impressed with builders working into the night and flouting Camden Council rules by using loud machinery after hours.

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, told the Ham&High he was forced to Mr Gabbana’s front door on one evening last week to plead for some peace and quiet.

“Gabbana’s builders are driving me mad,” he said. “And he hasn’t even moved in yet!

“They’ve been working past nine at night with angle grinders, breaking Camden regulations.”