Pippa Middleton ordered to remove unauthorized car park

Pippa Middleton and her husband, James Matthews, have been ordered to remove an “unsightly” car park constructed on their Berkshire estate without prior planning permission. An appeal to overturn the ruling was dismissed on July 21.

West Berkshire Council determined that the facility, built last year for use by fishing and angling clubs, was out of keeping with the “beauty, landscape, character or rural setting” of the North Wessex Downs National Landscape. Planners described the development as a “visually intrusive and urbanised feature” that disrupted an otherwise undeveloped meadow.

In addition to concerns regarding the area's scenic beauty and biodiversity, officials noted that vehicles exiting the site lack adequate visibility. There are also concerns regarding potential adverse impacts on the nearby River Kennet, a premier chalk stream, as no mitigation measures were proposed to protect the waterway.