Furious neighbour row in the Cotswolds over US billionaire’s plan to b | UK | News

The owner of Soho House has been refused permission to build a ‘grotesque’ mansion in the Cotswolds. Celebrity businessman Ronald Burkle wanted to build a massive six-bedroom mansion on farmland in Little Tew.

However, after his previous attempt was rejected in 2022, he was rejected a second time following strong local opposition. The mansion plans also included a gunroom, elevator, entertainment room and wine store, several reception rooms, a butler’s pantry, and a domed entrance hall said to be inspired by the Pantheon in Rome.

But the application, submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council last year, was rejected by planners who said it would cause “significant” damage to the conservation area.

The proposed site covers 4.37 hectares of farmland at Little Tew, between Banbury and Chipping Norton, and the application has been met with dozens of local objections.

In a decision notice published on Friday, council planners wrote: “The proposed development, by virtue of its nature, setting, scale, massing, design and form, would fail to represent a development that would help raise design standards generally in rural areas and would be adversely urbanising and transformative of the landscape, would fail to significantly improve its immediate environment or would not be sensitive to the defining characteristics of the local area.

“This development will also result in much less damage to the environment of Little Tew Reserve.

“The public interests are not considered to outweigh this identified harm.”

House plans also included details of gardens, a barnyard, solar panels, a new lake and tree nursery.

A previous application by Mr Burkle was rejected in December 2022 because it did not represent a ‘truly outstanding development’ and did not meet certain planning criteria.

The latest plans were described as ‘grotesque’ by a neighbour, while Little Tew Conservation Group also heavily criticized the proposal.

The group said: “The impact of the proposed development on the setting of the Little Tew Reserve will be detrimental.

“This has been discussed and set out in previous presentations by the Conservation Group and planning and conservation officers.

“As for public benefits, these are of very little weight and are not what is claimed in the summary of assistance presented.

“They do not provide general environmental benefits but have detrimental effects including on ecology, hydrology, landscape, heritage, archeology and enjoyment of countryside footpaths.”

All of these concerns “significantly outweigh any public interest,” the group said.

They added: “It is not considered outstanding architectural and landscape design, but it is completely out of place in the proposed location.”

A comment submitted by Worlledge Associates on behalf of the applicant said: “The use of classical architectural forms is appropriate. The scale of the house and the designed landscape are appropriate and in line with historical precedents.”

“The proposed location of a house of this size is consistent with historical precedent.

“The understanding and experience of the agricultural context of Little Tew (and Big Tew) will continue.

“The proposed development will not harm Little Tew’s environment.

“The character and use of the site as agricultural land will change, but this will add to people’s experience from an intellectual and sensory perspective.”

One neighbor who objected wrote: “Rather than being a development of ‘truly outstanding quality’, I believe this is a truly extraordinarily grotesque proposal.

“It would be a ridiculous situation if such a major intervention on the outskirts of our village would increase light and sound pollution.

“Please reject what is clearly an inappropriate, unisolated, habitat-threatening, polluting, undeveloped and insensitive ‘monstrous carbuncle’.”

Mr. Burkle is chairman of the board of directors of Soho House, which includes Soho Farm House, located three miles from the site.

He is also behind plans for the Mullin Automotive Museum in nearby Enstone, which were approved last year despite almost 200 letters of objection sent to the council.

In a recent interview, the 72-year-old mogul, who owns six properties including Michael Jackson’s Neverland ranch, said he would be a good neighbor and support local charities and community organizations wherever he lived.

He also said that he is in the process of purchasing the land and that the current owner has prepared plans before starting the work.

He added that he would only go ahead with the purchase if it received planning approval.