David and Victoria Beckham have once again found themselves in a bitter dispute with their neighbours over a proposed new access road to their luxurious £12 million Cotswolds estate.
The celebrity couple, who own a sprawling countryside property known as Maplewood Barn, have submitted a planning application to West Oxfordshire District Council to convert an existing agricultural track into a tarmac-laid access route.
The proposed driveway would connect directly to their existing private gates on Ledwell Lane, giving the Beckhams a new way to enter their home and, more importantly, allowing them to avoid sharing their current route with visitors of the nearby Soho Farmhouse.
Soho Farmhouse, a trendy members-only country club frequented by influencers, actors, and media professionals, shares the same single-lane cul-de-sac that currently serves the Beckhams’ residence. With hundreds of revellers flocking to the club each weekend, the traffic and attention has reportedly become too much for the celebrity couple.
However, the move has stirred anger among locals who believe the new road would disrupt the area’s peaceful character. One neighbour, Joan Lane from Great Tew, lodged a formal objection saying: “The house already has a perfectly serviceable access road. Why is another stretch of tarmac through the woods deemed a good idea? Ramblers use the lane and they should be left undisturbed by giant SUVs lumbering up and down.”
In their defence, the Beckhams’ planning representatives described the project as a “modest, sensitively designed conversion”, stressing that it would maintain the “agricultural, low-key character” of the area. They added that the new access aims to improve “operational safety” and reduce congestion caused by the shared road.
Despite their reassurances, this isn’t the first time the Beckhams have faced backlash from their countryside neighbours. Since purchasing the estate in 2016, the couple has made a series of upgrades — including a tennis court, treehouse, underground tunnel, wine cellar, and a man-made lake with a sandbank that drew official scrutiny in 2020.
Local reports suggest the council has previously investigated alleged planning breaches related to their property. Still, the Beckhams continue to develop what they describe as a “family sanctuary” away from the spotlight.