The BBC Director General halts housing plans near his luxury home, citing privacy and environmental concerns
Oxford: The Director General of the BBC, Tim Davie, just scored a win against plans for two new homes near his fancy £4 million farmhouse. He wasn’t too keen on the idea, saying it would mess with the vibe of the area and invade his privacy.
Originally, a local builder got the green light for one big house, but Tim and his wife Anne weren’t having it when more homes popped up in the plans last December. They voiced their concerns, and it seems the council listened.
Last year, the South Oxfordshire District Council turned down the plans, but the builder tried to appeal. Now, the council has officially said no again, saying the new builds would harm the beautiful countryside look of the Chilterns.
Tim, who’s been living in his Victorian farmhouse since 2001, is just a stone’s throw away from where the new houses would’ve gone up. He wrote to the council, saying he’s all for village development but this was just too much.
He pointed out that the land is untouched and full of wildlife, and adding more houses would really change the character of the quiet lane. Plus, he raised concerns about losing privacy and noise from a proposed heat pump.
Even though Tim faced some flak for spending a chunk of change on hotels in London, his countryside home is a real gem, complete with a barn and stables. He’s not alone in his feelings; another local, Eileen Paddick, called the housing plan an “overdevelopment,” worrying about new neighbors peeking into her windows.
