David and Victoria Beckham have been given the green light to create a sprawling forest amid recent security concerns at their luxury Cotswolds home.
The former footballer, 50, and the fashion designer, 51, submitted plans with the local council to plant 79 trees and a wildflower meadow at their property, which they bought in 2016 for around £6.15million.
Since then, the couple have redeveloped what was once a rundown site into an expansive countryside residence now thought to be worth £12m.
West Oxfordshire District Council had already approved plans for a private driveway, with the new ‘forest’ the latest planning win for the Beckhams after attempted break-ins at both their London and Cotswolds homes led to 24-hour security.
The planned woodland, which will include 12 European beech, 19 English oak, 15 small-leaved lime, eight field maple, seven Scots pine, five common hazel, five sycamore maple, four holly and four English yew, will now largely shield their home from prying eyes.
This will complement the new driveway, which will provide top-level ‘security-controlled access to the property with inward-opening gates’.
However, some locals were not happy with the proposals put forward by the Beckhams.
Neighbour James Worthington submitted a formal objection along with 45 pages of supporting material, arguing that the celebrity couple were attempting to turn their home into a ‘fortress’ and claimed they had already undertaken work prior to seeking approval.
He previously told The Mirror: ‘This current application is just a joke.
‘Why submit an application when you have already laid the road, installed gates, laid an electricity supply to the gate, planted trees, installed post and rail fencing along both sides of this track?’
He added: ‘Before long, I am sure by recent events the five-barred gate will be changed, stone pillars will be constructed with a 6ft high solid double electric gates installed with CCTV and lighting on the pillars.
‘Lighting along the track will be installed, mark my words this will happen, maybe not now but in a few months.’
In August 2023, the Beckhams were forced to withdraw a planning application for a new 250m access road after a series of complaints – including one from Mr Worthington.
At the time, he made an objection to the access road and sent the council photographs which allegedly proved that work had already started.
Mr Worthington added in his letter: ‘A large spruce pine tree has been felled already, the roots are all in the ground, a membrane has already been laid, posts have been installed in the ground with barbed wire instead of rails on both sides of this already laid track.
‘This track has recently been laid it was not there a year ago.’
Local resident Joan Lane, who lives in Great Tew, also objected and said: ‘I must strongly object to this proposal.
‘The house already has got a perfectly serviceable access road so why is another stretch of tarmac laid through the woods deemed a good idea.
‘Ramblers use the lane and they should be left undisturbed by giant SUVs lumbering up and down. Please do not allow this application.’
But the couple successfully argued their case for the new woodland as well as a new access road.
At present, the Beckhams’ mansion near Great Tew has a single lane cul-de-sac access, which also serves as the only way for visitors to drive to Soho Farmhouse – a luxury retreat billed as a ‘rural escape’.
The swanky establishment charges members £250 a month to enjoy the pools, health club and range of country pursuits on offer – including clay pigeon shooting.
During the summer months, celebs come in their droves to relax and network – and their flashy cars are all filtered down the same – and currently only – road that serves the Beckhams’ own private retreat.
In documents to support their application for a new access road, the couple said their existing access to Tracey Lane was problematic because it is a single use cul-de-sac with busy and ‘unsafe’ levels of traffic.
The couple’s planning team produced a detailed transport report, including a survey of vehicles, which stated that at peak times there were up to 180 vehicles per hour going to and from the venue.
The report added that this can sometimes lead to driver skirmishes, something the Beckhams wanted to personally avoid, adding: ‘Delays also occur when vehicles misjudge the speed and location of approaching vehicles, resulting in conflicts and vehicles then having to reverse back to nearest passing bay, which is detrimental to road safety.
‘Given these vehicle flows and vehicle conflicts… it can become difficult for residents to egress from the existing drive without coming into conflict with oncoming traffic from both directions.’
David and Victoria have previously been accused of ‘drip-feeding’ development at their Cotswolds home.
They have submitted multiple applications for work at their Grade-II listed country house.
Since buying the three listed barns for £6,150,000 in 2016, the couple have added a new driveway and gates, an additional garage outbuilding, tennis court, treehouse, security hut, extension to the garage outbuilding and a landscaped pond.
Along the way they ruffled feathers among their Cotswolds neighbours with work on their country home.
A 1,000 square foot sand bank close to their man-made lake is now being investigated after a complaint that it broke the agreed planning approval.
A source said: ‘Neighbours think it is totally out of character for the surrounding area and they are very twitchy around adhering to the rules.’
Bordering their enormous lake, the beach was visible between a wooden jetty and a safari tent as the couple sat tearfully discussing Victoria’s ambitions and their future together in her recent Netflix documentary.
Yet when the kidney-shaped lake was installed, the rules were extremely specific to ensure it would ‘sit well in its rural context’.
Detailed notes and diagrams at the time said the surrounding area should be landscaped like an ‘organic parkland’, with wildflower meadows and native trees, and scrub and other plants to provide a habitat for nesting birds, small animals and insects.
The council is now investigating concerns that the beach is not consistent with what was agreed.
West Oxfordshire District Council confirmed: ‘A report of a planning breach has been received and will now be investigated.’
