Beckhams ‘started work on £12m mansion’s driveway BEFORE getting permission’ as locals fume over pics of ‘early’ refurb
THE Beckhams have been accused of starting work on their £12million mansion’s driveway before getting planning permission in the latest blow to their grand garden renovation.
Locals captured pictures appearing to show work has already begun at the house in the Cotswolds in Oxfordshire.
England and Man Utd legend Beckham, 48, and wife Victoria, 49, have been granted planning permission for a glasshouse and raised kitchen garden so they can grow their own fruit and veg.
And they have now applied for permission to turn a “existing farm track” into a “temporary construction access track” for two years.
But suspicious neighbours have objected to the “pointless” scheme as they believe he is trying to build a permanent route to his home that avoids a public road to celebrity haunt Soho Farmhouse.
One neighbour, James Worthington, claimed work had already begun on the lane without permission being granted.
Photographs uploaded online seem to show new fence posts and a cleared space that once belonged to a “recently felled tree”, according to Mr Worthington.
He added: “A large spruce pine tree has been felled already, the roots are all in the ground, a membrane has already been laid, posts have been installed in the ground with barbed wire instead of rails on both sides of this already laid track.
“This track has recently been laid it was not there a year ago.”
It is not clear whether Mr Worthington’s allegations are true.
Another neighbour wrote to West Oxfordshire District Council, saying: “It is a needless use of materials.
“There is already an access road to the property so what is the point of laying another road just to build a fancy greenhouse?
“That seems pointless and a waste of resources.”
Beckham has asked planners if he can build a new access road to link his rural retreat to an existing farm track away from the original road into his home.
He wants to divert building traffic down the new route and has asked the council for permission to lay a 25m road.
A planning bid stated: “This homeowner application seeks planning permission to create a kitchen garden with raised beds, together with a traditional glasshouse.
“The proposed kitchen garden is laid out in a formal style, with raised beds arranged in a symmetrical format around a central path.
“The glasshouse is traditional in style and faces south, overlooking the kitchen garden, framed by fruit trees and set against the backdrop of a formal hedge and an established mixed native hedge.”
David and Victoria often spend long weekends at their Cotswolds pile after snapping it up for £6million in 2017.
The pair have shared pictures of themselves enjoying their countryside retreat on Instagram, along with their children Brooklyn, 24, 20-year-old Romeo, Cruz, 18, and Harper who this month turned 12.
Their £62million-plus property portfolio also includes a London townhouse, a Dubai beach property and a Miami penthouse.
This is not the first time Posh and Becks have been embroiled in planning rows.
Back in 2020, the power couple found themselves in a dispute with one of their London acquaintances – with a local council even suggesting they meet up to resolve their differences.
David and Victoria ultimately won the battle against the neighbour, who bought a property near their £31million townhouse in west London.
Planners rejected an application to overhaul it including drastic internal alterations, a slate roof with roof light and a completely new outdoor space.
The couple previously came under fire from locals in Oxfordshire over their own proposals to build a huge lake.
They ended up winning approval for the council, as long as they didn’t use motorised boats on it.
David and Victoria were in the United States last week, where he watched star signing Lionel Messi make his first appearances for Inter Miami – the MLS football club co-owned by Beckham.
Messi and Beckham both enjoyed the Argentina forward’s “hold my beer” celebration after goals against Atlanta United.
The Beckhams’ rep declined to comment when approached by Sun Online.
Planners will rule on the road application in the coming weeks.