Jeremy Clarkson has successfully navigated a 13-month planning ordeal to enhance parking facilities at his Cotswolds pub, but he now confronts a fresh challenge concerning an overflow parking area.
The West Oxfordshire District Council has granted the former Top Gear presenter approval for a permanent 170-space parking lot and the formalization of staff parking arrangements at the Farmer’s Dog pub in Asthall.
The pub, a favorite among fans of Clarkson’s Amazon Prime series Clarkson’s Farm, has sparked less enthusiasm among locals due to the surge in traffic it has brought to the area.
Despite this recent planning success, Clarkson is embroiled in a dispute over his lease of a nearby 34-acre field, which he has repurposed as an overflow car park.
Upon taking over the pub lease, Clarkson recognized the necessity for expanded parking, drawing from his experience with the popular Diddly Squat Farm Shop near Chadlington.
The overflow parking area is currently reinforced with aluminum sheets to safeguard a neighboring 1,400-year-old burial mound, which is believed to house the remains of an Anglo-Saxon warlord.
A geophysical survey beneath the ground was triggered last summer when Mr Clarkson applied for retrospective planning permission to use the field as a temporary overflow car park, despite him using it for that exact purpose for the past year already.
Locals have complained about the application, saying Clarkson only wants planning for 360 cars, although they say they have spotted 1,000 parked there at a time in the past year.
Jeremy Clarksonhas won a 13-month planning saga to improve car parking at his Cotswolds pub, but he faces another showdown for its overflow area
The former Top Gear host has been given to West Oxfordshire District Council for a permanent 170-space car park (pictured) and the ‘formalising’ of staff parking at the Farmer’s Dog in Asthal
Despite the latest planning victory, there is still a row rumbling over Mr Clarkson leasing a nearby 34-acre field, which he is using as an overflow car park (pictured). The overflow car park is now covered in strengthened aluminium sheets to protect a neighbouring 1,400-year-old burial mound, which contains the remains of an Anglo-Saxon warlord
Asthall Parish Council remarked in its last planning meeting in December that it met with locals and sent their concerns to West Oxfordshire District Council.
Minutes stated that the concerns ‘included support for a heritage input concerning the surfacing of the car park, police input, the actual number of parking spaces needed and the fact that it is for temporary use.’
The parish council said it was ‘consulted on speed limits in the area but there was insufficient information on numbers to comment with certainty – despite a request for data none was forthcoming’.
The signage is a problem for the parish council, which stated that ‘there are a plethora of redundant signs in the area which need to be removed’.
The retrospective planning application is yet to be decided, with the West Oxfordshire District Council website stating the application expiry date was on December 23.
The closure of the overflow car park would be disastrous for the pub, which depends almost entirely on driving punters.
However, Mr Clarkson has been given the green light regarding the 170-space car park and staff parking, but it comes with strict conditions.
Due to the chaos the pub has caused on the roads, Mr Clarkson’s planning team must submit a Transport Management Method Statement.
The statement should detail vehicle access, parking strategy, ‘measures that will be put in place to ensure safe and efficient operation’ and ‘proposed use of signage’ due to the ‘potential high level of traffic generation and parking demand at peak periods’.
The Farmer’s Dog in Asthall (pictured) has been a huge hit with fans, but it’s not been quite as popular with locals
The TV presenter is preparing for a predicted boost in customers to The Farmers’ Dog, which will come with the release of the new series of Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm in the Spring
Mr Clakrson spent £1million to take charge of The Farmer’s Dog which is close to his base in the hugely popular Diddly Squat Farm
Mr Clarkson’s successful application received no objections from Oxfordshire County Council’s archaeological services who were content that it wasn’t going to disturb the burial mound, stating: ‘The site is in an area of archaeological interest, however, the proposals will not result in any new below ground disturbance, and therefore, there are no archaeological constraints to this scheme.’
The TV presenter spent £1m to take charge of The Farmer’s Dog, which is close to his base in the hugely popular Clarkson’s Farm TV show and has spoken of how expensive the project has been.
The Farmers’ Dog is preparing for a predicted boost in customers, which will come with the release of the new series of Amazon Prime’s Clarkson’s Farm in the Spring.
The series is understood to heavily feature the opening of the pub.
Mr Clarkson has spoken of how desperate the pub trade was, listing a range of difficulties he has had since opening, calling it a ‘total disaster’ behind the scenes as thefts, traffic chaos and toilet nightmares run rampant.
When the Farmer’s Dog first opened in Oxfordshire in August 204, many had travelled from far and wide to the picturesque spot for a chance of a pint, with the car park rammed within an hour of its opening.
Fans soon came in their hundreds, causing traffic jams with punters parked for miles around on the grass verges of narrow single-tracks, blocking roads and causing fury among neighbours.
