David Beckham wins planning row turning home into
David and Victoria Beckham have been awarded a huge victory in the ongoing planning row over their £6.15million farmhouse-style mansion, nestled in the Cotswolds. As a result, the star-studded couple have gained permission to install "Blackpool illuminations" around the lake of their home despite criticisms from furious neighbours. One being James Worthington, who, according to the MailOnline, filed a string of complaints against planning applications linked to the Beckhams' Grade II-listed home. He accused the duo of turning the countryside into "Miami or Florida" with "suburbia-style" features.
Although he submitted his objections as a distressed local, in one letter, Mr Worthington admitted that he has been "working away from the UK since 2019" and gave an address in Perth, Western Australia. With the green light on the planning application, the new lights will be installed alongside the hot tub and fire pit on the property.
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David and Victoria have also been granted permission to use non-motorised boats on the stretch of water, which their planners called a "pond".
This is despite the kidney-shaped lake being 4,170 square metres and the island 122 square metres.
At the time, Mr Worthington had sent in a detailed letter of objection, photos and 43 pages of supporting documents opposing the multiple changes to their home, which included the light installation.
He wrote: "Yet what is proposed is more akin to Miami or Florida, not Great Tew. If I am not amiss, this pond 'lake' is in the countryside in a rural setting.
"Festooned lighting hanging along a 'proposed bridge'... spotlights, is this really Great Tew or have I mistaken this area for Blackpool? If the applicants want to live in suburbia, then why come to an area like Great Tew?"
Despite this, the extensive lighting around the lake was approved by the ecology team, although they had some prior reservations.
In a letter, they questioned "the need for the spotlights at either end of the boardwalk across to the island, as there are also downlighters on posts," adding: "But I don't necessarily have a major issue with these, now that the spotlights lighting up the trees have been removed."
They brushed off Mr Worthington's complaint that the lights were a "source of annoyance to people" and "harmful to wildlife".
As planning officer, Nathan Harris disagreed: "Given the rural location of the site and the nature of the amendments proposed, officers do not consider that the revised landscaping or lighting details would result in any material adverse impacts on the amenity of neighbouring occupiers.
"The submitted lighting scheme has been specifically designed to minimise light spill and ecological impact, and no objections have been raised by the Council's Ecologist following submission of the amended plans."