Sir David and Victoria Beckham have been blocked by the local council from adding an oak-framed balcony to their Cotswolds mansion, the latest in a series of renovation setbacks for the celebrity couple.
Council rejects balcony plan
The couple purchased the nine-bedroom farmhouse in Great Tew, Chipping Norton, in 2016 for £6.15 million and have since transformed it, doubling its value to an estimated £12 million. Over the past decade, they have added a built-in Estonian sauna, plunge pool, football pitch, gym, swimming pool, games room, and cinema.
Their most recent proposal sought to create a 'west elevation of the west wing' with an 'oak-framed balcony', according to their planning agent. However, planning officer Nathan Harris raised concerns that the balcony 'would detract from the simple agricultural character and form' of the property. He added that although the residence was not listed, 'the proposal would fail to conserve and enhance the building,' according to the Daily Mail.
The council's senior conservation and design officer, Bryan Martin, called the balcony a 'non starter' and noted it would 'obscure the threshing doorway – a characteristic feature'. He concluded there is 'no obvious way to do anything like it'.
Previous renovation controversies
The rejection comes just a month after David was asked to remove a 'fire pit' on an island in his man-made lake by an ecologist. In March, the Beckhams faced backlash from locals over plans to add pond lighting, which critics said would cause light pollution and disturb local wildlife, with one resident comparing it to turning the land into Blackpool Illuminations.
The couple, whose combined net worth is $673 million (£506 million) according to the Sunday Times' 2025 Rich List, split their time between London, Miami, Beverly Hills, and Dubai, but the Cotswolds remains their home base. It featured heavily in the Netflix documentary Beckham.
Family matters
Meanwhile, the parents of four continue to navigate a rift with their eldest son, Brooklyn, who lives in Los Angeles with his wife Nicola Peltz. Although Brooklyn has had no contact with his family for several months, Victoria recently praised her 'four amazing children' in an Instagram post celebrating 27 years of marriage to David.
