Plans for a large, all-weather riding arena at Ellen DeGeneres' £15 million Cotswolds estate have been rejected by local planning officials. The West Oxfordshire District Council determined the proposed 22-meter by 39-meter structure would be out of character with the idyllic surroundings and constitute an "unacceptable" development in the open countryside.
DeGeneres, 68, had sought permission for the arena to accommodate her wife Portia De Rossi's, 53, horses, as the couple aimed to establish their permanent home in the area after moving to Britain in November 2024. They had previously stated their intention to reside in the Cotswolds full-time, acknowledging De Rossi's need to keep her horses with her.
Despite receiving approval earlier this year for new stables on the 43-acre property, subject to several conditions, the latest proposal for the riding arena faced a stern refusal. In a decision notice, Chris Hargreaves, Head of Planning for the council, wrote that the arena, by virtue of its scale, siting, and associated engineering operations, would be an "intrusive and incongruous form of development within the open countryside and the Cotswolds National Landscape."
The council also stated that the development would extend beyond the existing built footprint of the property, leading to an "unacceptable encroachment into the open and undeveloped Upper Windrush Valley." According to the council, the proposal would fail to protect or enhance the local landscape, conserve the character of the National Landscape, and would have a detrimental visual impact on valley views. Furthermore, it was deemed to adversely affect the setting of the adjacent Asthall Conservation Area due to its visual prominence and disruption of the traditional rural development pattern.
DeGeneres' planning agents, Fleming Architects Ltd, had submitted a Landscape & Visual Impact report arguing the arena would be concealed by existing farm buildings and vegetation. However, the council's planning officials maintained that the proposal represented "poor-quality design."
While the council's archaeology department raised no objections, having previously expressed concerns regarding Roman remains for the stable plans, the ecology team had several conditions but ultimately gave their approval. These conditions included adherence to a Construction Ecological Management Plan, a Biodiversity Net Gain assessment, and the installation of bird and bat boxes, along with controlled lighting.
The couple purchased the estate for £15 million in 2024 and reportedly spent an additional £7.5 million on renovations before moving out. The property had been plagued by flooding from the River Windrush, which runs through the site. Planning documents from March indicated the couple's ambition to make the Cotswolds estate their "long term home."