Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews are to remove a car park built without prior planning permission at their Barton Court estate near the village of Kintbury, Berkshire. The decision comes after West Berkshire Council refused to grant retroactive planning permission for the development and dismissed a subsequent appeal.
The car park was built in 2025 on a meadow measuring around 400 square metres. The couple have applied for retrospective permission, stating that the sale of fishing rights on the River Kennet is an important source of income for the upkeep of the estate. The facility is intended for anglers and fishing clubs.
Authorities: development alters rural landscape
Barton Court is part of a 145-acre estate valued at £15.5m. It is located in the North Wessex Downs conservation area, and planners have judged that the car park does not preserve the landscape and natural value of the site.
The documents describe the development as a “visually intrusive and urban“ element that has reduced the sense of open and undeveloped rural landscape. Concerns are also raised about the impact on the nearby River Kennet, as well as a lack of measures to limit any harmful effects.
According to planners, the size and structural design of the car park have changed the character of the meadow. Doubts have also been raised about visibility for cars leaving the site.
Residents object to construction
Residents of Kintbury have said they were not consulted before the work began. The meadow was known in the village as the place where two lorries, Monty and Drummer, grazed.
One of the objections said: “This application seeks to move the nuisance parking out of sight of the applicants as they enter the Barton Court estate, to the detriment of the residents and the heritage of Kintbury.“
Other residents have cited the risk of flooding, impacts on biodiversity and damage to the historic and rural character of the area.
Pippa Middleton, sister of the Princess of Wales, and James Matthews have lived at Barton Court since 2022. They have three children, Arthur, Grace and Rose. The house is a Grade I listed building in the UK's Listed List of Historic Places.
The parking dispute is not the only one
After the family moved to the area, a separate dispute arose over Mill Lane, a road that runs through the house. The previous owner, the late merchant Sir Terence Conran, had allowed local residents to use the route.
After 2022, the grounds were fitted with an electric gate and signs reading "Private Property: No Public Access" and "Do Not Trespass". Thirty-five residents, supported by the Ramblers, have asked for Mill Lane to be recognised as a public right of way. A public inquiry has been launched into the case, to which Matthews has stated that the family's security and privacy must be protected.
Sources: dailymail.com, independent.co.uk