Jeremy Clarkson has won a planning battle over his pub, The Farmer's Dog, after enduring more than a year of uncertainty awaiting a decision. The outcome will delight devotees of his Prime Video show Clarkson's Farm, who consistently flock to the relatively new venue in their thousands.
The Clarkson's Farm star had lodged an application requesting permission to lay hard surfacing in both car parks at his Burford, Oxfordshire establishment, and has now been given approval by West Oxfordshire District Council officials, according to the Oxford Mail.
The publication reports the determination was made this month, after a lengthy delay spanning more than 12 months.
The Oxford Mail states that planning officer Kelly Murray from West Oxfordshire conceded in her ruling that The Farmer's Dog had posed challenges for the neighbouring village of Asthall by generating an "unusual" amount of traffic.
She said: "The number of visitors to the site is reportedly causing congestion along the A40 and also within the village of Asthall itself."
"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.
"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."
Murray then compared the situation to the parking chaos at Clarkson's other business, his Diddly Squat Farm shop, emphasising the need for sufficient parking to avoid disorder, reports the Mirror.
She added: "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."
The ultimate decision concluded: "[The] public interest in granting permission outweighs any slight harm caused [by the expansion of the pub]."
The Cotswolds establishment, formerly called The Windmill, was purchased by Clarkson during summer 2024. His rush to open its doors was captured in his hit Amazon Prime series, Clarkson's Farm.