The billionaire peer and his wife, Lady Bamford, intend to redevelop the Mill House Hotel under their Daylesford Organic brand.
The project will include a restaurant, alehouse, bakehouse, and demonstration barn, bringing a new culinary and hospitality experience to the picturesque Cotswolds village.
The Bamfords first submitted their planning application in May 2020, but faced rejection, leading to a revised submission in November 2022. The project encountered significant opposition from local residents, compounded by the discovery of Roman ditches during an archaeological evaluation of the site. Additionally, a survey revealed the presence of otters, a protected species, residing along the nearby Cornwell Brook, further complicating the approval process.
Despite these challenges, planning permission was granted last Friday after the exchange of 132 documents on the West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning portal. Key stakeholders, including the Environment Agency, Natural England, and the Cotswold Conservation Board, contributed to the rigorous review process.
As part of the approval, the Bamfords are required to adhere to 23 conditions. These include the submission of a biodiversity monitoring report to the local planning authority every five years for the next 30 years, ensuring the protection of foraging and commuting bats, as well as otters, during the hotel’s construction. Additionally, no development work, including demolition and ground clearance, can commence until a construction environmental management plan focused on biodiversity has been approved.
A statement from the developers highlights the design intention: “The main hotel building has been crafted around the historic mill, with surrounding ancillary buildings forming an informal courtyard. The courtyard will host a restaurant, alehouse with outdoor seating, and a two-bedroom holiday let. The Mill building’s sloped site allows the alehouse to be located on the lower ground floor, leading to an outdoor seating area where guests can enjoy views over the southern water meadow.”