People living near to Jeremy Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm have united to back his plans for a new car park - as they claim visitors are posing a danger to local schoolchildren.
The television presenter is currently seeking a solution to his woes by applying for a temporary car park at his farm after his original plans for a permanent one were blocked. He has applied for planning permission to use a 60m by 32m area field adjacent to the farm shop for around 70 vehicles until January 2025.
In planning documents linked to his latest application, neighbours have pleaded with West Oxfordshire District Council to allow it to proceed as the number of visitors with nowhere to legally park is causing major safety issues. Parents on the school-run say they routinely have "nowhere to go" and one mum said she even had to crash into a hedge last week to avoid a serious collision
One neighbour who lives directly opposite said: "I and at least 10 others drive past four times a day to take our children to and from Chadlington School. I have absolutely no objection to Mr Clarkson's farm, farm shop or restaurant and wish him all the luck with it, the problem I and many others have is the parking.
"Many times we've not been able to get to and from the school where visitors to Diddly Squat have parked both sides of the verges, not allowing space for cars to drive past and certainly no space should an emergency vehicle need to get through, posing a significant risk to residents if Chadlington.
"I've had to come to a sudden and abrupt stop as parked cars have swung open doors onto the road without looking and other times as people just walk out into the road between the parked cars. Just last week a minibus drove around a parked coach onto my side of the road and I had to drive into the hedge to avoid being hit by the minibus head on.
"My children were in the car on the way home from school and shaken up - the minibus driver did not stop to check us. Thankfully we were all OK and my husband repaired our car. Mr Clarkson needs permission for a car park as the parking on the road and verges is a massive safety risk."
Another neighbour said: "I take grandchildren to and from Chadlington school and many times I cannot get through because of cars parked both sides. It's is not safe at all and the only solution is to allow him the car park."
A third neighbour added: The car parking situation is horrific, I struggle to get past most times and regularly have to make emergency stops to avoid colliding with pedestrians who just dart out into traffic without looking. They also pull off the verge into the road without checking for oncoming traffic which again causes me to have to make emergency stops. It's a significant safety risk to myself and my children and the many others who take their children to school using this road."
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A spokesperson for Clarkson said a short-term solution was needed while they continue to battle for a more permanent solution. They added: "Whilst there is an application for a permanent car park currently at appeal, the decision on that may be some time away."
They said this measure was to cope with the significant extra demand and interest in the farm over the next few months due to the success of the new series of Clarkson's Farm. They said: ''This application therefore proposes a temporary change of use of one area of land to the shop adjacent to facilitate safe and convenient parking to meet this short term demand.
''It would use the existing site access and allow parking away from the highway for about 70 cars in four rows with manoeuvring space in between."
The extension of parking at the site of the hit Amazon Prime TV show has previously been a point of controversy. West Oxfordshire District Council refusing a previous proposal as it would have been "visually intrusive". The council also said it would have had a "harmful impact on the rural character, scenic beauty and tranquillity of the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty".
However, the alternative parking situation has become "dangerous", as queues of people park up on the grass verge of the busy A361 Oxfordshire County Council recently pleaded with visitors to park "safely and considerately", saying: "Don’t park on the A361. It’s just too dangerous."
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