James Middleton to renovate £1.5m Grade II-listed home

Princess of Wales’s brother James Middleton wins planning permission to renovate his £1.5m Grade II-listed home… after objecting to neighbour who lives just 130 yards away doing building project

• Kate Middleton’s brother James, 35, lives with French wife Alizee in Berkshire
• Conservationists had raised concerns over their plans due to local bat species
• The couple also launched a five-page objection to a new build 130 yards away

The Princess of Wales’s brother James Middleton has secured planning permission to make significant changes to their Grade II-listed farmhouse in Berkshire – after objecting to their neighbour’s application, who lives just 130 yards away.

Mr Middleton, 35, and his French wife Alizee can now begin extensive works including an oak-framed extension, re-vamped ground floor and a new terrace area.

The couple bought the house, located close to his and Kate Middleton’s parents’ property in Bucklebury, in 2021 for £1.45 million and are now planning the renovations 17 months after getting married in the south of France. 

They previously faced opposition by conservationists over their plans for the 16th century building, due to concerns over endangered bat species.

But while they have managed to come out on top, their neighbours have faced rejection from the same council. 

James Middleton, 35, and his French wife Alizee can now begin works on their home, including an oak-framed extension, re-vamped ground floor and a new terrace area

The couple live close to the Middletons’ parents’ house in Bucklebury, Berkshire (Pictured: Bucklebury)

Mr Middleton previously reflected upon his move to Berkshire, saying he and Alizee feel ‘so lucky to live in a small village with 100 people and two pubs’.

He compared it to living in London, saying ‘you don’t have community’ in the capital. 

The couple were previously spotted house hunting in central London, including the exclusive areas of Chelsea. 

Works by the couple will see an existing conservatory, described as ‘unsympathetic’, demolished and replaced with an oak-framed extension. 

An ‘unsightly’ garage will also go – while the ground floor will be thoroughly renovated, including installing a new entrance, balcony and porch.

The floor will also boast a morning room, study, drawing room and boot room. 

Outside, there will be a new terrace and herb garden, while the driveway will be reconfigured and sealed off from the public road by electrically operated oak gates.

Conservationists previously raised objections over the scale of the work and bats’ nests at the property, which will require special permission before work can begin.

Officials at the local council also said the proposed new barn-style garage and studio is too big and would detract from the listed building which also lies in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). 

Mr and Mrs Middleton are said to have ordered a five-and-a-half page letter from hired chartered town planner Lisa Jackson to object to their neighbours’ application

‘Whilst the existing garage is of no architectural merit, its diminutive size does at least allow the garage to sit unobtrusively within the site,’ wrote conservation and design chief Debra Inston to West Berkshire Council’s planning committee. 

‘It is a modest structure of limited bulk and scale which is clearly subservient to [the house] and does not detract from its setting.

‘The new garage would be of a size, scale, bulk and height that would be significantly bigger than the current garage…the proposal would therefore fail to preserve the special architectural and historic interest of this listed building.’

Meanwhile an ecology survey revealed the farmhouse is being used as a day roost by common and soprano pipistrelle bats – both protected species.

But despite the couple’s success, their new neighbours, based just 130 yards away, recently received rather bleak news.

The household had been hoping to demolish their home of seven years, a bungalow, and replace it with a larger, flat-roofed property.

But the local council has declined their appeal – understood to be the latest of a string of planning rejections.  

Mr and Mrs Middleton are said to have ordered a five-and-a-half page letter from hired chartered town planner Lisa Jackson to object to the application. 

Aside from the size of the proposed new dwelling, Ms Jackson wrote that her clients have no time for the planting of well-spaced ‘instant’ trees, dismissing the suggestion as ‘suburban in character’.

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