Overview
- The council approved the Beckhams' latest application in mid‑August, allowing extensive lakeside lighting, a shore hot tub, a firepit on the island and the use of non‑motorised boats.
- The decision carries conditions that ban motorised boats and recommend the firepit not be used during the March–August bird‑nesting season, and it requires measures to limit light spill and ecological harm.
- West Oxfordshire’s ecologist recorded reservations about some lighting but raised no formal objection after the couple’s agents removed tree‑spotlight elements and submitted amended details.
- A recurring objector, James Worthington, who has lodged multiple complaints, remained publicly critical despite living in Perth, Australia, and his objections did not change the outcome.
- The approval follows a long history of applications at the Grade II‑listed Great Tew estate—the Beckhams bought the property in 2016 and have submitted roughly 30 planning proposals over the past decade, including a separate driveway dispute earlier this year.