Kate Middleton Receives Disappointing News as Pippa Faces Fresh Setback at £15.5m Family Estate

Kate Middleton’s sister Pippa Matthews has suffered another setback after planning authorities ordered changes to an unauthorised car park at her £15.5million country estate, prompting renewed frustration among local residents.

Pippa and her husband, businessman James Matthews, have been told by West Berkshire Council to remove the hard-standing area created on their Barton Court estate in Kintbury.

The couple purchased the 145-acre property in 2022. The former home of renowned designer Sir Terence Conran has since attracted attention over plans for parts of the extensive grounds.

However, their development plans ran into difficulties after approximately 400 square metres of hard standing were laid on a former paddock without planning permission.

The work reportedly transformed part of a meadowland area near the village into a private parking space for anglers visiting the estate’s fishing facilities.

The development did not go unnoticed by residents, some of whom were reportedly surprised to discover the changes had been made without consultation.

Villagers subsequently raised concerns with the local council, arguing that the parking area was inappropriate for the countryside setting and had affected a familiar stretch of land near their community.

Planning officials later concluded that the development was harmful to the surrounding rural landscape, adding another obstacle to the couple’s plans for the estate.

Pippa and James’s representatives attempted to resolve the issue by submitting a retrospective planning application in November last year, seeking permission for the work that had already been carried out.

However, West Berkshire Council rejected the application in February, leaving the couple facing the prospect of challenging the decision or changing the development.

The estate subsequently appealed, but a government-appointed planning inspector dismissed the challenge in July. The inspector agreed that the car park was out of keeping with its countryside surroundings.

The decision has also brought attention to the feelings of residents who say the area has long been part of village life. One local told The Times: “I taught my son to ride his bike on that path.”

Another resident reportedly described the atmosphere as one of “a lot of ill will and residual anger”, suggesting that the dispute had created lasting frustration within the community.

For some villagers, the planning decision has reopened concerns about how the estate’s development has affected the character of the surrounding area.

One resident reportedly dismissed the changes as “not very village-y”, reflecting objections to the appearance and purpose of the parking area.

The setback is an unwelcome development for Pippa and James, whose plans for their country property have now faced opposition from both the local authority and residents.

Although the dispute concerns the couple’s private estate rather than Kate’s royal responsibilities, Pippa’s connection to the Princess of Wales means the latest development is likely to attract wider public attention.