The heir to Porsche, the car maker, has triggered a class war in the Austrian city of Salzburg after he announced plans to build an underground tunnel through a mountain to reach his stately home.

Salzburg council is set to rule on 81-year-old Wolfgang Porsche’s right to dig a tunnel, reminiscent of a James Bond villain’s lair, to reach his 17th-century villa and its vast garage.

The small city’s former mayor approved the project in 2024, but its current Left-leaning mayor has opposed the move.

It has led to a dispute between politicians and the public, who say that Mr Porsche was granted swift permission for his €10 million (£8.5 million) project while city renovation projects have had to wait years.

In one recent act of protest to coincide with Easter, activists hosted a three-day theatre festival titled “The Tunnel of Mr P – a grotesque piece in three acts”.

The group said:“We cannot afford the overly wealthy like Porsche anymore. No luxury for the few at the cost of others.”