Ellen DeGeneres wins battle as verdict made on Cotswolds

Ellen and her partner Portia De Rossi have been given the green light for the stables for their horses – despite fears the work could ‘destroy’ Roman remains.

The couple had been locked in a battle over the development at Kitesbridge Farm near Burford that they bought for £15M in 2024 and they had ambitions to make it their ‘long term home’ if their bid was successful.

The couple had already spent a reported £7.5M extra on external and internal renovations before they moved out less than a month later to find someone more suitable to indulge in Portia’s passion for horses.

Ellen DeGeneres has submitted plans for horse stables to stay ‘long term’ at her Cotswolds home. (Image: Tom Wren / SWNS)

It was listed for sale last July but failed to attract a buyer and has been plagued by flooding from the River Windrush, that ran through the 43 acre site.

A sale was said to be ‘close’ after £4.5M was slashed off the £22M asking price and the house was taken off the market as a condition of sale.

But despite the ongoing issues, Ellen and Portia now look set to stay after West Oxfordshire District Council granting them planning permission subject to a number of conditions.

These included a stipulation that stables must only be used for by the occupiers of the main dwelling and not for a livery, riding school or any other commercial purposes.

There had also been concern raised that the site was in an area of archaeological interest and potential Roman remains.

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Documents showed it was close to a Roman bridge, a Roman road and Roman villa and associated bathhouse.

The application was granted on the basis that no development can start without an appointed archaeologist being present and further investigation is carried out.

In a design and access statement to support their application to West Oxfordshire District Council, their representatives revealed the couple’s long term ambitions for the home.

They said: “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.”

And in approving the application, planning official Sarah Weaver wrote: “Due to the location of the proposed stables, within the cluster of the existing buildings, the traditional design of the stables and the removal the existing modern agricultural building it is not considered that the the proposed will have a materially harmful impact on the Cotswold National Landscape.

“The design of the proposal scheme is of a traditional stable building which reflects the design of the existing buildings within the site. Traditional features such as an arch entrance, fenestration detailing and window placement form part of the external design.”