JCB family plan to demolish Charlbury house for mansion

The Bamfords recently received planning permission from West Oxfordshire District Council to demolish Charlbury House and replace it with a "new dwelling to be 17th or 18th century in character" at the heart of a farmstead.

The site comprises the farmhouse - formerly called Beevis Farm - and a number of 19th century farm buildings, including a cottage, stone outbuildings, a garden building, pool house and a number of modern agricultural buildings.

These will all be retained and restored with the cottage converted and extended to create a pool house with shower and changing facilities.

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The new property will boast a wine cellar, games room and staff room in the basement plus a gym, dressing rooms and library.

A proposed equestrian centre will house new stables for up to 10 horses and an indoor riding arena and outdoor facility. 

The historic 'ride' will be reinstated as an access track from the west of the site.

A planning report said the replacement house will be "re-orientated to take advantage of its setting within the local landscape".

It will "be carefully sited within the restored 19th century farmstead" and "will replace a relatively recently built house which has relatively poor architectural proportion and quality."

The report said: "It is clear that historic development of the site has resulted in the break down or loss of key historic features of the estate and, in turn, the special qualities of the landscape character.

"Although proposals include the construction of a larger house in place of the existing, this has been designed to the highest architectural standards and in keeping with small country houses typical of the Cotswolds."

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The proposals include significant landscaping including planting woodland, enlarging an existing pond and a new large pond, planting a wildflower meadow and a grassland pasture, restoring a stone barn and creating new gardens and an orchard.

The site is accessed from Woodstock Road.

Highways authority Oxfordshire County Council did not object to the application.

The proposals for the indoor riding arena are supported by a letter from Jason Moore, the applicants' daughter's Team GB showjumping coach.

Jo Bamford, is the son of Lord Anthony Bamford, chairman of JCB, and Lady Bamford who founded Daylesford Organic.

Lord Bamford previously donated £401,000 to the Conservatives in 2011 which was reported by The Sunday Times at the time.