Sir David Beckham and Lady Beckham have been accused of turning the Cotswolds into Blackpool with plans to install lighting around their artificial lake.
The couple had previously been granted planning permission for a kidney-shaped pond in the grounds of their Grade II-listed barn conversion on the condition that it would “sit well within its rural context” of Great Tew, near Chipping Norton.
However, in what neighbours argue is a disservice to the rural setting, the couple now wish to add festoon lighting, illuminated posts and mounted wall lights, as well as a deck, jetty, saunas, floating duck house and a bridge to an island within the lake.
It is not the first time that the Beckhams’ building plans have aggravated their neighbours. Since buying the three listed barns for £6.15m 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.
They have previously been accused of drip-feeding development – with the latest plans leading to criticism that “it would appear the applicants... do anything they want simply because they appear to think they can”.
James Worthington, who owns land and a property next door to the Beckhams, has led the opposition.
In a letter submitted to West Oxfordshire District Council, he described the proposal as more suited to Miami, Florida, or Blackpool than the Cotswolds.
In a 20-page objection letter, the neighbour expressed concern that light pollution would thwart his enjoyment of the night sky and prove harmful to wildlife, especially bats.
Mr Worthington wrote: “If I am not amiss this pond ‘lake’ is in the countryside in a rural setting with field etc, around Maplewood Barn. Yet what is proposed is more akin to Miami or Florida NOT GREAT TEW.”
He added: “Is this really Great Tew or have I mistaken this area for Blackpool?”
The aggravated neighbour asked why the Beckhams were living in the Cotswolds, considering that their renovation plans indicated that they would prefer “suburbia”.
Concern had previously been raised that the Beckhams had overstepped the 2020 planning consent for the pond when it was featured alongside a “private beach” in their Netflix documentary, Beckham.
The fresh planning application has been submitted to satisfy conditions laid out when the Beckhams were granted permission for the “enlargement of approved pond and inclusion of an island”.
The couple were told that before the site came into use, details of external lighting must be submitted and approved in writing by the local planning authority.
They must show the type and location of the lighting so it can be “clearly demonstrated that light spillage into wildlife corridors will be minimised as much as possible”.
Mr Worthington said artificial light carried the potential to become light pollution or “obtrusive light”.
He wrote: “It can be a source of annoyance to people, harmful to wildlife and undermine enjoyment of the countryside or the night sky, especially in areas with intrinsically dark landscapes as Great Tew is.”
Outlining the conditions, the council had said: “Under no circumstances should any other external lighting be installed without prior consent from the local planning authority.”
This was to “protect foraging and commuting bats”, the report added.
Mr Worthington added in his letter: “What about the poor foraging and commuting bats. Have the Council now decided wildlife is not in their remit?”
Neighbours previously accused the couple of drip-feeding development, with one commenting that he “wouldn’t be surprised if the celebrity couple applied for a funfair ride to be installed in the garden”.
Last year, the couple applied for planning permission to turn an agricultural track into a tarmac-laid access route, as their property was served only by a single-lane cul-de-sac, which was the only way for visitors to drive to the nearby Soho Farmhouse.
They applied to West Oxfordshire District Council to change the use of part of the existing agricultural track to form a secondary residential access.
Great Tew residents complained that ramblers using the agricultural track should not be disturbed by “giant SUVs lumbering up and down”.
However, the council granted permission for the track alteration earlier this year.
Sir David and Lady Beckham have been approached for comment.