Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia De Rossi have submitted plans for horse stables to be built at their multi-million-pound Cotswolds home, following substantial flooding.
The former US talk show host, 68, initially bought Kitesbridge Farm near Burford for £15 million in 2024 and reportedly spent £7.5 million on renovations both inside and outside the home, before moving out less than a month later.
It was believed at the time that the couple moved out to find a property more suited to Portia's passion for horses. Despite listing it last July, they failed to sell the 43-acre farm due to flooding from the River Windrush.
Since then, on Friday 20 March, planning documents were published that revealed their hopes to make the site their "long-term home" on the condition of adding the stables, according to the Daily Mail.
The American couple's representatives said in a design and access statement which supported their application to West Oxfordshire District Council: "The applicants carried out a successful renovation of the house last year and wish to make this their long-term home.
"One of their passions is horses, and although the building group is large, there is no provision for horses or for their training and bringing up. This application seeks to address this in as sensitive a way as possible."
The planning application reportedly seeks to demolish an agricultural building on the farm and erect horse stables in its place.
Ellen's application added: "There are no nearby neighbours and thus no impact on residential amenity that would result from the provision of stabling." It went on to outline the type of American-style barn they were considering building.
© Getty Images for RH"The American barn was felt to be too large and might easily dominate the pleasing building cluster to the west; a U-shaped byre range, conversely, not providing the cover and practicality required.
"Hence, the 'in-between' option is proposed: a traditional stone building, single range, built in the local vernacular, so as to blend in to the existing building group."
Ellen's years-long desire
The beloved daytime presenter has previously mentioned her desire to own a home with horse stables in the past and revealed her spouse would struggle to adapt to the English countryside without one.
She told The Wall Street Journal: "When we decided to live here full time, we knew that Portia couldn't live without her horses. We needed a home that had a horse facility and pastures for them."
The star has shared Portia's love for horses on her social media in the past and posted a video of the actress riding in the English countryside. A caption was added to the footage that said: "Portia’s living her dream riding her horse through the English countryside and into the village. Gosh, I hope she comes home soon."
Why did Ellen move to the UK?
The TV star's departure from the US was only intended to be for a few months as they sought refuge from life as celebrities in Montecito; however, in July 2025, Ellen revealed that it was President Donald Trump's 2024 election win which prompted them to make a more permanent move.
Speaking to broadcaster Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, she said: "We got here the day before the election. We woke up with lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in'. And we're like, 'We're staying here'."
She opened up about how much she loves the country, saying: "It’s absolutely beautiful. We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture, everything you see is charming, and it’s just a simpler way of life. It’s clean. Everything here is just better, the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here."
