Jeremy Clarkson has taken victory in the latest planning battle with the district council at his Cotswolds pub.
The 65-year-old former Top Gear and Grand Tour host has been given planning permission by West Oxfordshire District Council.
Mr Clarkson bought The Farmer’s Dog off the A40 in Asthall, near Burford, in the summer of 2024 for £1m.
The TV series Clarkson’s Farm covered the seemingly stressful opening of the pub for the August Bank Holiday.
Unlike his Diddly Squat Farm Shop, the Farmer’s Dog hasn’t had the same level of planning issues with the local authority.
In fact, plans to put hard surfacing in both car parks such as the one in the western car park were given permission this month.
Planning permission took just over a year to decide – significantly more than the eight weeks it would take for an application of this minor size.
Permission to park at the site, which has 170 spaces, exists already.
West Oxfordshire planning officer Kelly Murray said in her decision that the pub had attracted an “unusual” level of traffic which was causing problems for Asthall.
“The number of visitors to the site is reportedly causing congestion along the A40 and also within the village of Asthall itself,” she said.
“Given, however the established lawful use of the venue as a pub and restaurant, it is not within the scope of the local planning authority’s planning powers to prevent impacts arising from the unusual level of public interest specific to this establishment.”
Indeed, the pub has attracted thousands of fans from across the world to the Cotswolds pub, formerly called the Windmill.
Following the success of the fourth series of Clarkson’s Farm, visitors have been regularly flocking to the pub, which sits on five acres of land.
Ms Murray added: “It is clear to officers that safe and easily accessible parking must be available off-road in order to discourage the public from parking on the side of the A40, or on the road leading to Asthall – which it seems probable they would otherwise do.
“It is likely that both of these alternative scenarios would jeopardise pedestrian safety, cause traffic obstruction, further congestion and would be likely to damage highway verges to the detriment of the unspoiled rural character of the area.
“Such a situation has arisen at Diddly Squat Farm which attracts a similarly high number of visitors -whose impact has transformed the roadside verges – and this illustrates the type and level of adverse impacts which are demonstrated as arising from inadequate public parking provision.”
In conclusion, the planning officer said that the “public interest in granting permission outweighs any slight harm caused” caused by the “modest” expansion of the “thriving” business.
