Pippa Middleton and husband James Matthews have been forced to tear up a car park built on their £15m Berkshire mansion after their planning appeal was thrown out by local officials.
The younger sister of The Princess of Wales erected the car park at Barton Court without planning permission in 2025. After objections from neighbours and the local authority, West Berkshire Council turned down the couple’s retrospective application and said the structure spoiled the natural setting of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape.
West Berkshire Council Dismisses Appeal for Un-authorised Car Park
Middleton, 42, and her husband, hedge fund boss Matthews, bought the 32-room Georgian property, Barton Court, in 2022. The estate is in Kintbury, Berkshire, in the Wessex Downs – a designated National Landscape region in the UK.
They built the parking lot last year without retrospective planning permission claiming it was only for summer, mid-week parking. Local planners refused it, saying the parking has visual and environmental impacts that harm the surrounding area.
“Due to its size and engineered appearance, the development has introduced a visually intrusive and urbanised feature into an otherwise open meadow,” planning officials said.
Local council authorities also had concerns about the proximity of the building to the River Kennet and said it was necessary to protect chalk stream and local wildlife.
Second Issue for the £15m Barton Court Estate
The problem follows another controversial issue with local residents over whether the public can walk across the grounds, where previously used the pathway Mill Lane was closed when Sir Terence Conran sold up.
The estate was previously owned by Sir Terence Conran who let the public use Mill Lane which passes through the property. Once Middleton and Matthews bought the property signs went up saying the land was private property and the issue ignited public outcry and anger in the village.
35 local residents complained to West Berkshire Council with The Ramblers Association backing the residents of the local village saying the route was a public footpath, and a public inquiry to discuss the rights of way begun in May this year.
However, a representative of the couple said that there were no records that it was ever a right of way, adding that they believe it is a private lane.
The pair must now pull up their new car park after their appeal failed and return the meadow back to its original condition before local planning authorities may decide to carry out formal enforcement.
