‘Ramblers use the lane and they should be left undisturbed by giant SUV’s lumbering up and down’ says one critic of Posh and Beck’s plans to build a new road so to avoid Soho Farmhouse traffic
Posh and Beck’s neighbours have been left raging over the famous couple’s plans to build a new access road to Cotswolds pad so to avoid Soho Farmhouse traffic. Goldenballs David and wife Victoria Beckham have applied for planning permission to transform an agricultural track into a tarmac-laid access for their Maplewood Barn home.
But furious neighbours believe their proposal will affect ramblers who should be “undisturbed by giant SUVs lumbering up and down” and therefore rejected.
The celebrity couple’s mansion near Great Tew has a single lane cul-de-sac access, which is also the only road leading to the nearby Soho Farmhouse. The pair have applied to West Oxfordshire District Council to change the existing agricultural track to form a secondary residential access.
The couple want to extend the track to connect to their existing driveway and improve existing dropped kerb access and gates onto Ledwell Lane.
Documents supporting their application, indicate the Beckhams believe their existing access to Tracey Lane is problematic as it is a single use cul-de-sac with busy and “unsafe” levels of traffic.
But the plans, which are under consideration by the council, have already been ferociously contested by locals.
Joan Lane, who lives in Great Tew, said: “I must strongly object to this proposal. The house already has gone 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 SUV’s lumbering up and down. Please do not allow this application.”
In planning documents, a representative of the Beckhams described the proposal as a “modest, sensitively designed conversion.”
They said: “The proposals regularise and complete the conversion of a short, previously consented agricultural track from Ledwell Lane to serve as a secondary residential access, provide a short link into the existing driveway within the curtilage.”
They argued it would “modestly upgrade the existing crossover and gates at Ledwell Lane for safe residential use.”
The statement continued: “The works respond to operational, safety, and amenity needs, while being carefully designed to conserve the rural, heritage and landscape character of the area.
Part of the application is to for a “short intra‑curtilage link connecting the agricultural track to the existing driveway within the grounds” is retrospective, meaning the work has already been carried out ahead of the application.
Documents also outlined “minor upgrades to the existing dropped kerb and crossover” with the installation of new inward opening timber gates.”
The Beckham’s representative added: “The access retains an agricultural, low-key character using unbound loose gravel, post-and-wire fencing where needed, and a simple timber field gate.
“Any bollard/path lighting, if later required, will be minimal, downward-directed and on timers/sensors to avoid light spill.
“Ledwell Lane is a two-way rural road operating within capacity with a benign collision record; Tracey Lane is a single-track cul-de-sac serving residential properties, Great Tew Estate land and the only visitor access to Soho Farmhouse, experiencing high traffic and frequent conflicts and delays at peak periods.
“Providing a residential access onto Ledwell Lane improves safety, convenience and journey reliability for the single dwelling, reduces reliance on the constrained Tracey Lane, and modestly rebalances movements away from a known pinch-point.”
David and Victoria Beckham have previously been accused of ‘drip-feeding’ development at their £6m 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.
A decision will be made by West Oxfordshire District Council on the latest plans at a later date.
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