The Princess of Wales' sister Pippa Middleton lives in an impressive £15 million property in Berkshire, called Barton Court, with her husband James Matthews and their three children, Arthur, seven, Grace, five and Rose, three. The stunning residence is surrounded by 145 acres of picturesque land, but the estate does come with a problem.
Pippa and James are caught up in an ongoing dispute The couple decided to shut off access when they first bought the house from Sir Terence Conran, but subsequent campaigns have led to the council siding with local walkers who want to use the path.
© Alamy Stock PhotoThere is a public local inquiry on 14 May via West Berkshire District Council and this looming date is a point of anxiety for some. Councillor Tony Vickers, who is part of the Liberal Democrats party, is a Berkshire resident who lives a 15-minute drive away from the Middleton-Matthews family. He has written on the Kintbury Village Facebook page to sympathise with locals who may find the meeting "intimidating".
He explained: "I'm now registered to speak at the Barton Court footpath (Mill Lane / main drive) Public Inquiry on May 13-15. If anyone submitted written evidence to West Berks Council or Ramblers claiming they used the route on foot between 2002 and 2022 but doesn’t want to speak and potentially face cross examination by a barrister acting for the landowner, feel free to contact me.
© Samir Hussein"Part of my role as your elected representative is to 're-present' my constituents. I am also supporting the Council's decision to Make the Path Order last year and emphasise the importance of public access in our Protected Landscape: North Wessex Downs. I have some experience of speaking at Public Inquiries. They can be quite intimidating."
Ramblers' objection
The West Berkshire Ramblers are a group of nearby walkers who campaign to open up paths that are currently 'access denied'. A statement on the Ramblers Association website reads: "Across Britain, people in less well-off communities are more likely to lack safe, accessible paths that connect them to green space near where they live. This isn't just unfair, it's unhealthy. And it's deepening existing health and wellbeing equalities."
© Getty ImagesThere are also concerns that the closure of the pathway causes a road safety risk. Eugene Futcher, the chairman of the group, told The Times: "It is a safe way to get to and from the village, so walkers are put at risk if they have to use the road."
Planning permission good news
Despite this ongoing furore, on 18 February, Pippa and James received good news about planning around their home. Their plans for an extension and internal alterations were granted after debate around "important relics from the Palaeolithic period" potentially being disturbed during building works. Now that they have the green light, no doubt they will be proceeding with those amendments as soon as possible. The approval states that work must commence within three years.
