England’s prettiest street divided: Wealthy foreign neighbours and their lavish renovations accused of ‘turning the village into a film set’

Residents living on Britain’s ‘most beautiful street’ are tired of too many foreign buyers ‘ruining’ their rural lifestyle.

Bulgarian Yani Minkov bought her stunning Cotswolds property in 2012 but locals claim she is barely living in the famous hamlet of Bibury, where average house prices are £1.5 million.

They revealed the property sat empty and was gated, accusing neighbors of ‘land grabbing’ and not appreciating the sought-after postcode.

No one answered the door when the Daily Mail visited on Wednesday but neighbors were keen to criticize foreign buyers.

It comes as tensions are rising on the country streets of Oxfordshire’s picture postcard community.

Next door, a Turkish couple have sparked new outrage with their ‘war zone’ renovation plans, despite previous hopes that construction work was ‘nearing an end’.

Metin Dener and his wife Gülbin, who own a 2nd degree protected property in Garip Tepe, are being blamed for ‘cultural vandalism’ behind the ‘endless’ construction work, which took several years and is thought to have cost hundreds of thousands of liras.

To add insult to injury, it has been revealed that the couple are planning to add a ‘massive’ outdoor fireplace and an underground car park to their prized country home, but bosses at the Cotswold District Council are currently considering approval for their objections.

The cottages (seen 1901) were converted into residences in the early 17th century from a monastic sheephouse dating back to the 1380s.

Picture: Metin Dener, in his elegant black suit, sitting next to his wife Gülbin, in her white dress and laced pill box, at London’s five-star Savoy Hotel.

Living directly opposite them is 69-year-old writer Victoria Summerley, who moved to the village 15 years ago for the ‘peace and quiet’.

He said: ‘The vast majority of residents benefit from this application and other than that I have not experienced any problems.

‘It’s a wonderful village. I love it. But this planning debate has been going on for years and everyone is fed up.

‘It should be a peaceful Cotswold village with no drama. But with these applications, our lives come to a dead end.

‘The couple stayed here over Easter a few weeks ago. It is noteworthy that when they stayed there, business stopped. But when they leave it starts all over again and we have to put up with all this disruption.’

The historic gabled houses were converted from a monastic sheep house into homes for weavers in the 17th century. Dating back to the 1380s, these historic houses often attract retirees looking for a quiet village lifestyle.

Lady Anne Evans, who owns a cafe and gallery called Eleven Bibury, described the spirit of the village as ‘special’.

He said: ‘Bibury is a very special place. Its history is so deep and rich. I’ve lived here for 25 years. I love it.

Tensions erupt on the country streets of Oxfordshire’s picture postcard community

Directly across from them sits 69-year-old writer Victoria Summerley, who moved to the village 15 years ago for ‘peace and quiet’.

There have been numerous previous applications for the cottage over the years, which have included removing and replacing Cotswold stone slate roof tiles as well as adding insulation to a utility room.

‘I think it is a privilege to live here. I welcome all visitors. We have London standards but in the countryside.

‘I don’t know how the planning application got to this point. Planning laws are planning laws.

‘This whole situation has been going on for a very long time.’

Morgan Hollis, 65, who has been living in the village for five years for a ‘quiet retirement’, also accepted this offer.

The retired financial advisor said: ‘It’s like the village has turned into a movie set. Whether it’s the constant tourists or the saga of construction work at the other end of the village.

‘There’s always something. This wasn’t the bit of peace and quiet I was looking for in retirement. ‘It’s really sad.’

Residents living on the street also expressed their anger at the ongoing development this week.

David Jacobs, 46, who has lived in the village for eight years, said the job was ‘an absolute nightmare’.

He said: ‘I know a lot of people are very angry. It’s been a long time coming and it won’t be over anytime soon.

‘I love the village. I feel like I’m part of something truly special. But in a way, he becomes a victim of his own success.

‘We need tougher action from the local planning department. That’s what I think will make a difference.

‘The biggest problem is that there is not enough space here for the amount of tourists visiting. The Instagram generation brings tourists here.

‘I left the city to come to the countryside. ‘Tourism seems to have really boomed since Covid.’

Picture: Gulbin poses in front of houses on what is considered the most beautiful street in England, years before the country house was purchased

Pensioner Craig Chapman moved to the village in October 2020 and has lived in the Cotswolds since 2004

Photo: Gülbin poses in front of houses with her little dog in a blue coat

Pensioner Craig Chapman moved to the village in October 2020 and has lived in the Cotswolds since 2004.

The former chief executive of the renewable energy technology firm described the planning dispute as a ‘never-ending saga’.

He said: ‘We moved during Covid in 2020. Our property and our village really impressed us. A very nice village.

‘We thought it was nice and quiet. But after Covid, things went well.

‘Zoopla will tell you that our house prices have increased. However, this reality is not reflected in the market. People in the village have a lot of concern about the amount of visitors we get.

‘And then you add this planning app. There is now a retroactive application for some form of barbecue area.

‘Even the council’s planning department appears to suggest the property is overdeveloped.’

There have been numerous previous applications for the cottage over the years, which have included removing and replacing Cotswold stone slate roof tiles as well as adding insulation to a utility room.

Applications were also made for the oak conservatory and stone summerhouse, which were withdrawn in January.

Residents of the neighborhood have previously stated that the works carried out since 2023 have caused constant noise and disruption.

They claimed that trucks serving the area had crossed the borders and blocked the gates.

Many residents said they were ‘horrified’ by the damage caused.

The Turkish couple reacted to the allegations that they ‘overdeveloped the site’ in the last application.

Many residents said they were ‘horrified’ by the damage

Metin Dener and his wife Gülbin are behind the controversial developments in the village of Bibury in the Cotswolds. The couple is photographed together here

Their representatives said: ‘All of the previously approved and ongoing works have now resulted in an increase in the footprint of the residential property of just 1.2m2 and the replacement of the existing above-ground garage with an underground garage.

‘All other works are landscaping works related to the repair of existing retaining walls and the removal and repair of defective walls on the site. It certainly cannot be said that the site is ‘overdeveloped’.’

They said there had been construction work on the site over the past 2-3 years and ‘significant work on the main drainage’ which had led to road closures, causing local inconvenience and inconvenience.

‘Work on this site has had to proceed slowly due to the narrow access road and the high number of tourists in the village, vehicle access being relatively limited compared to most sites, and the complexity of work on a steeply sloping site.

‘Contractors on this site have attempted to keep residents informed of deliveries and material handling where possible but it was not always possible to maintain communication.

‘The client and contractors understand this is disappointing, but how construction is carried out is not something that is under the control of the current planning system,’ they said.

Plans for the cottage earlier this year included removing and replacing traditional Cotswold stone slate roof tiles, as well as adding insulation to the utility room.

A ‘whimsical’ palm tree covered in Christmas decorations has also been added to the front garden.

In addition, previous plans included proposals for an underground garage at the site where locals say it is being built.

Neighbors complained that the works were turning their lives into ‘a complete hell’ due to constant noise, disruption and traffic problems.

Even tourists from India, Japan and China who flock to picturesque Bibury think the renovations have ‘ruined’ the picturesque street.

The couple were previously said to be living outside the UK while their home was being renovated; Their neighbors claimed that they had not been seen in this area for a while.

They bought the country house for £1.1 million in 2022 and work has been ongoing since 2023.

In the photos shared by Gülbin on social media, it is seen that the couple spent time in the charming village years before buying the country house.

Gulbin can be seen posing in front of a viewpoint deemed ‘Britain’s most beautiful street’ on numerous occasions.

A neighbor said: ‘I haven’t seen him for months. This is a land grab. This is a great shame because it could be a nice house for someone.

‘He looks quite rich but I don’t know what he does. He doesn’t stay around long enough to really get to know her.

‘It really might be one of the most beautiful parts of the village.’

Mr. Dener’s representative was reached for comment.

Cotswold District Council has been contacted for comment.