The music mogul has submitted planning permission to extend his home but has got into difficulty gaining consent
Simon Cowell moved to a village (pictured from overhead) in the Cotswolds after selling his London home(Image credit: Google Earth)
Simon Cowell’s latest venture into countryside living includes a planning application for a 793-square-foot outhouse on his £8 million Grade II-listed property in the Cotswolds.
The extension, billed as a “minor in scale” addition, is intended to function as a multipurpose space for entertaining guests and hosting family gatherings.
However, Cowell could run into trouble gaining planning permission for the extension due to homes listed status and location.
What is Cowell's planning application for?
Cowell currently lives at the property with his fiancée Lauren Silverman and son Eric(Image credit: Getty Images)
The planned structure will be connected to the existing farmhouse by a flat-roofed linking extension, designed to reflect traditional Cotswold aesthetics.
Planning agents have emphasised the use of local materials, ensuring the new addition blends with the original building.
The proposed extension would increase the property's floor space by 16%, transforming the current home into a larger, more functional space that could host social gatherings, while also serving as a games room for Cowell’s children.
Planning agents stated: "The proposed outhouse is minor in scale and has been designed to complement the historic character of the existing property while ensuring minimal visual impact on the surrounding landscape."
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Why gaining planning may prove difficult for Cowell?
Gaining planning for the extension may prove difficult as not only is the home a listed building but it is also in a conservation area, meaning gaining approval is more difficult as it is a protected property.
The property, which has dealt with issues such as a mole infestation, also has to be surveyed to ensure the development does not disturb the area’s natural ecology.
Cowell’s planning agents have already submitted a self-assessment form stating: "The development has been carefully assessed to ensure no harm to local wildlife or protected habitats."
Cowell aiming to create a safe haven for his family
Cowell left his previous home in London due to safety concerns(Image credit: Google)
Simon Cowell is seeking to create his idyllic home in the countryside after moving from his London home due to safety concerns.
Cowell and his fiancée Lauren Silverman, and their then-infant son, Eric, moved from their townhouse in Holland Park after burglars ransacked the property, stealing passports and over £1 million worth of jewellery.
Cowell has previously expressed his desire for privacy and safety, saying: "The countryside offers the peace and security my family needs after living in the city for so long."
The planning application is currently being considered by West Oxfordshire District Council.
News Editor Joseph has previously written for Today’s Media and Chambers & Partners, focusing on news for conveyancers and industry professionals. Joseph has just started his own self build project, building his own home on his family’s farm with planning permission for a timber frame, three-bedroom house in a one-acre field. The foundation work has already begun and he hopes to have the home built in the next year. Prior to this he renovated his family's home as well as doing several DIY projects, including installing a shower, building sheds, and livestock fences and shelters for the farm’s animals. Outside of homebuilding, Joseph loves rugby and has written for Rugby World, the world’s largest rugby magazine.
