Jeremy Clarkson’s neighbour calls in attorneys to struggle plans for restaurant on his Diddly Squat farm

Jeremy Clarkson’s large new mega-mansion on his Diddly Squat Farm property – blasted for being ’empty of mind and panache’ – is now nearing completion, 5 years after The Grand Tour star blew up an outdated farmhouse on the identical spot in a stunt on his Amazon present.  

Images launched this week confirmed diggers within the last phases of development on the positioning within the Cotswolds, with the six-bedroom dwelling showing to be almost prepared for the previous High Gear host to maneuver in. 

However some native residents within the village of Chadlington have been left unimpressed, with one telling MailOnline the brand new dwelling was a ‘blot on the panorama’ and one other saying they ‘do not actually suppose it matches’ with the remainder of the realm. 

Clarkson beforehand described his imaginative and prescient for the brand new property as ‘half Louisiana plantation home and half Quinlan Terry chocolate-box mock Georgian’. 

The brand new 12,173 sq ft property is being constructed on the positioning of Curdle Hill Farmhouse, a £4million five-bedroom property courting again round a century in the past to the early 1900s, which he purchased as a part of the property in 2012.  

Clarkson’s fellow motoring presenters Richard Hammond and James Could famously blew it up in 2016 on the Amazon Prime TV present The Grand Tour with the assistance of knowledgeable demolition crew.

All that remained of the home after the explosion was an infinite pile of rubble and wooden. The outdated farmhouse is believed to have been rented out by Clarkson to tenants within the years main as much as its destruction.

Accredited plans for the brand new dwelling claimed it is going to be ‘a modest nation home/gentrified farmhouse which supplies the looks of getting grown over time’. It’s going to even have a walled backyard, orangery, basement cinema and 5 loos, in addition to house for 5 vehicles and a quad bike retailer. 

Final month Clarkson went on a rant about his ‘terrible’ dwelling state of affairs in his Sunday Instances column – together with his dwelling renovation nonetheless not full regardless of him beginning it almost ten years in the past. He wrote: ‘I have been dwelling these previous three years in what’s formally the smallest cottage in Britain. 

‘I can stand within the centre of the sitting room and contact all 4 partitions and I can cook dinner supper and go to the john concurrently. It was terrible to start with however now it is insupportable.’

Clarkson additionally revealed one in all his pals stated the constructing was ‘hideous’ after exhibiting him the preliminary plans that he labored on himself with an architect – earlier than scrapping them. 

He wrote: ‘I could not go forward and construct one thing figuring out that on the market within the extensive world there was one one who did not prefer it. It will preserve me awake at night time, so I discovered one other architect and we began once more.’ 

The undertaking has been delayed a number of instances for various causes together with the pandemic, however Clarkson added that he’s now hoping that the builders might be completed in time for Christmas.

The design has additionally been removed from universally common – with property and mortgage skilled Lewis Shaw, of Shaw Monetary Providers in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, telling MailOnline: ‘This new pad seems precisely like its proprietor – a wannabe gentleman however with out the historical past, breeding or magnificence, and empty of mind and panache.’

And Adam Kamani, chief govt of the MoveStreets property app, informed MailOnline: ‘It is honest to say Clarkson’s new dwelling would not look misplaced in Beverly Hills and so you’ll be able to perceive why it has been met with a sure diploma of native backlash in what is actually a quiet countryside group.

‘It does not matter should you’re changing a block of London council flats for high-end residences, or an outdated farm home for a mega-mansion, the gentrification of any space is at all times going to be onerous to abdomen for many who have referred to as it their dwelling for therefore a few years. It most likely does not assist to rub salt within the wound by blowing the unique property to smithereens and we count on this is not the final chapter within the story of Clarkson versus Chipping Norton. ‘

Locals in Chadlington village have additionally had their say, with one nameless girl telling MailOnline: ‘It is too large is not it? It is too large. It is a blot on the panorama so far as I’m involved, and selfishly it ruins the view of my stroll’.

One other native man, who additionally didn’t want to be named, informed MailOnline: ‘My spouse fairly likes it, however I do not actually suppose it matches. It simply seems a bit like a palace. You possibly can have large farmhouses, however I simply do not suppose it seems like a farmhouse actually. If you happen to go searching right here there are some good farmhouses, you’ll be able to construct trendy farm homes.

‘There is a man up the highway who hasn’t’ achieved any higher. He is acquired an excellent larger home simply up the highest. That is the irony – Clarkson’s acquired his view however behind him there’s really a builder who’s constructed this positively gigantic home.’

And Kerry Wiggins, 37, stated: ‘It’s what it’s, the home that was there previous to him blowing it up was additionally good. It was a beautiful farmhouse, nevertheless it wasn’t his style so he blew it up. I can see it from upstairs. He can do what he likes.’

However James Forrester, managing director of property developer Stripe Properties based mostly in Newcastle upon Tyne, informed MailOnline: ‘There are some that will think about Jeremy Clarkson’s home too large, too daring and never in line with the native space, a bit like the person himself. Nevertheless it’s honest to say that these objections are most likely as a consequence of beforehand fashioned private opinions and a sure diploma of envy, moderately than a hatred of the particular property.

‘Chipping Norton is not the sleepy village it as soon as was and actually, a wealth of palatial properties have been constructed there in recent times, so Clarkson’s definitely is not the primary.’

It comes as Clarkson’s neighbour has launched a authorized battle towards his plans for a restaurant at his farm, whereas additionally claiming he referred to as him a ‘moron’.

Portray restorer Hamish Dewar says the 61-year-old motoring presenter additionally referred to as him a ‘busybody’ in a row about Diddly Squat, a farm which turned the topic of hit Amazon TV sequence Clarkson’s Farm.

Mr Dewar says he fears the picturesque village of Chadlington, Oxfordshire, the place the 2 reside is popping right into a ‘Jeremy Clarkson theme park’.

Clarkson plans to construct a 60-seater restaurant on the positioning of his farm store, which at the moment hosts a small café inside a disused lambing shed. Mr Dewar has expressed issues about proposals to broaden the positioning – which sits straight on the high of the village.

He claims villagers are actually afraid to complain about Clarkson’s undertaking out of issues they ‘may seem in one of many journalist’s columns’. Mr Dewar, 65, has lived within the sleepy countryside village for 28 years – and says it has now been beset by vacationers and site visitors issues.

He stated: ‘I believe individuals are fairly cautious of expressing their opinions as a result of Clarkson tends to reply in his column within the Sunday Instances. I believe which means individuals are fairly reluctant to talk out.

‘He is written about me within the Sunday Instances, calling me a busybody and a moron. He additionally described the chairman of the parish council in a really impolite method.’

The proposal has obtained 33 objections from native residents, together with a toxicology report suggesting the positioning relies on a former quarry and could possibly be doubtlessly poisonous.

Consultee ERS Air pollution, stated the land is a former quarry which may be ‘contaminated’. It claimed that the proposed web site has been beforehand used as a quarry so might comprise ‘crammed floor’, whereas an investigation must be carried out earlier than constructing can happen.

Mr Dewar outlined his issues, saying: ‘The priority is [Chadlington] is an space of excellent pure magnificence.

‘If he will get permission for this restaurant, the quantity of site visitors can have a big impression on the village.

‘[Currently] there’s little or no to come back and take a look at.

‘But when there’s a restaurant and a bar with an alcohol licence till 11pm at night time, there’s going to be many extra vehicles coming into the village.’

Mr Dewar stated he doesn’t need it to look as if the entire village is towards Clarkson.

He added: ‘Lots of people have expressed their feedback and complaints concerning the planning software on the council’s web site. However the authorized aspect of it, I am doing alone.’

Clarkson’s planning permission software requests the native authority consent to construct a 60-seater restaurant, together with 70 automotive parking areas and an alcohol licence up till 11pm.

Within the planning software to West Oxfordshire District Council, his group stated Diddly Squat Farm is ‘dealing with an acute discount within the Primary Cost Scheme’, a authorities subsidy, which is at the moment being phased out.

It stated the funds will cut back from £83,298 to £0 over the interval 2020 to 2028, that means the enterprise might start to battle financially over time, explaining his need to broaden now.

It learn: ‘It’s affordable for a farm enterprise to analyze methods to exchange this earnings with on farm diversification to create new earnings streams or broaden current enterprises.’

The applying acknowledged that the Authorities subsidy obtained by Diddly Squat Farm ‘accounted for over 85 per cent of the enterprise’s revenue’ this yr. 

Mr Dewar added: ‘It is a very stunning space with stunning views and that is fully out of character with the encircling countryside.

‘Clarkson acquired permission to construct there for agricultural use and now he desires to vary it right into a café and restaurant with out giving it a good probability for use for agriculture.’

Whereas Clarkson has been criticised by some neighbours, he has been praised within the agricultural trade for his efforts to advertise the sector.

Talking at Cheltenham Literary Competition final month, writer and farmer James Rebanks stated Clarkson has achieved ‘extra for farmers in a single sequence of Clarkson’s Farm than Countryfile has achieved in 30 years’.

In line with property web site Rightmove, searches for houses in Chadlington elevated by 511 per cent in June – the month Clarkson’s Farm first debuted – in comparison with the identical interval in 2020. 

In October, Clarkson got here face-to-face with offended villagers at a public assembly to reply issues about his plans to develop his farm store.

The controversial presenter referred to as the assembly on the Memorial Corridor in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, after listening to rumours of issues about his exceptionally common farm store. 

In a bid to quash his neighbours’ fears, Mr Clarkson invited the local people to affix him within the village corridor to debate the farm store and luxuriate in cheese and wine.

Posters round Chadlington learn: ‘As there appears to be some debate within the village about what is going on on at Diddly Squat, Jeremy Clarkson might be on the Memorial Corridor to elucidate his plans and to take any questions you might have. 

‘All people from the realm is welcome to attend. Cheese and wine might be offered.’

Followers from all around the nation have been queuing up for two-and-a-half hours to get contained in the Diddly Squat store because the launch of the hit Amazon Prime present Clarkson’s Farm, scary some complaints from neighbours.

Police had been even referred to as out to handle site visitors chaos in June, brought on by a whole lot of Jeremy Clarkson followers descending on his farm within the hope of assembly him and to take a look at his inventory, which incorporates honey, chutney and T-shirts.

Villagers are divided over the impression of the store, which opened lower than a yr in the past, with some saying it has put Chadlington on the map and boosted the native financial system.  

The broadcaster purchased the plot of land in 2008 and Clarkson’s Farm follows the presenter’s highs and lows of tackling the 1,000 acre working farm. 

The presenter just lately revealed he was ‘the happiest he has ever been’ and that he ‘cherished each second’ of filming the brand new hit present.

His Diddly Squat store is described as a ‘small barn full of fine, no-nonsense issues’ on its official web site. 

The Amazon Prime sequence follows an intense and regularly hilarious yr within the lifetime of Britain’s very unlikely farmer and his group, as they deal with the worst farming climate in a long time, disobedient animals, unresponsive crops, and an surprising pandemic.

A second season of Clarkson’s Farm was commissioned by Amazon in July 2021.