Geri Halliwell and Christian Horner triumph over neighbours

The married Spice Girl and former F1 boss live at the Oxfordshire border with Northamptonshire and have been locked in a number of planning battles with neighbours.

Most recently this has been over plans for a horse walker at her stables.

The celebrity pair own a horse racing company called OMBI and have built new stables for 14 horses at their Oxfordshire pad.

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They have employed a full-time trainer, and their horses are all named after Geri’s solo career hits.

But plans for the walker on land adjacent to their main home were met with anger by neighbours – with a number of objections registered with West Northamptonshire District Council.

Among the concerns were over the height of the building and visual impact, inadequate screening, lighting, and lack of a storage relocation plan.

Grade II listed former vicarage, home to Geri and Christian Horner (Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS)

But planning official Forrest Childs approved the application on Thursday, March 26.

He said in his decision notice that development of this nature in the open countryside “can be acceptable in principle where it supports an existing rural enterprise and does not result in unacceptable harm to the character of the area”.

Mr Childs added: “Given that the site already operates as an established equestrian holding, and the proposed horse walker represents a functional and proportionate addition to support the existing use, the principle of development is considered acceptable.”

Grade II listed former vicarage, home to Geri and Christian Horner (Image: Tom Maddick / SWNS)

The scheme is the latest in a number of planning rows between the couple and their neighbours.

They were recently given approval to keep a pergola that had been built without planning permission.

Last year they were also granted planning permission to build a second pool on the grounds despite fears that it would be a ‘blot on the landscape.’

One anonymous neighbour, who objected to the horse walker plans said: “Whilst we do not object to the principle of a horse walker to support the private equestrian use of the adjacent equestrian barn and other equestrian activities, we object to the plans as currently presented.”

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In a statement on behalf of Geri and Christian Horner, a planning agent said the structure “will be largely screened from all angles once the existing new hedging matures”.

The applicant also referenced DEFRA’s code of practice for the welfare of horses.

The planning agent added: “It states that animals must be given freedom to exercise off the tether for a reasonable period at least once a day.

“The installation of the horse walker will ensure that this is possible.”