Jeremy Clarkson: Farming challenges & local planning hurdles at his rural venture.

Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm continues to serve as the primary case study for the tension between national agricultural diversification policies and local government resistance. Local and national governments are telling farmers to diversify their farming but local governments are then often preventing and obstructing farmers when they try and diversify.
Case study: Jeremy Clarkson and his farm shop and restaurant.
Core Conflict: Diversification vs. Conservation
The primary obstruction stems from Diddly Squat’s location within a protected Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). While the UK government encourages diversification to ensure farm viability (e.g., in 2021, Diddly Squat reportedly made only £144 in profit), local planning authorities prioritize preserving rural character.
Local Government Obstruction (West Oxfordshire District Council - WODC)
Critics and viewers of Clarkson’s Farm have characterized WODC's actions as a "vendetta," citing several specific denials:
Car Park Denials: Permission for an essential car park extension was initially refused, leading to traffic congestion on local roads.
Restaurant Enforcement: The council ordered the closure of a restaurant converted from a lambing shed, arguing it was an "unlawful use" and "incompatible" with the countryside.
Infrastructure Resistance: WODC even blocked a simple farm track and investigated the farm shop for alleged breaches of its "16-mile radius" local product rule.
National Policy Shift: "Clarkson's Clause"
Clarkson’s public battle influenced national policy, specifically the Permitted Development Rights (PDR) reforms that came into effect in May 2024 and remain central to farming operations in 2026:
Class R Extensions: Farmers can now convert up to 1,000sqm of agricultural space (double the previous 500sqm) into flexible commercial uses like shops and restaurants without full planning permission.
Class Q Housing: The "Clarkson Clause" also allows conversion of agricultural buildings into up to 10 homes (increased from 5).
Directives to Councils: In late 2025 and early 2026, the government issued updated guidance via the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) making it clear that development for the farming industry—including farm shops, reservoirs, and polytunnels—should be actively supported by local councils.
Current Standing as of January 2026
Diddly Squat Farm Shop: Continues to operate and, due to high demand, is staying open throughout January and February 2026 for the first time.
Partial Legal Victory: While Clarkson won a Planning Inspectorate appeal for a three-year temporary car park and "mixed agricultural and leisure" use, he was still denied the right to reopen the full-scale restaurant on-site.
New Ventures: Clarkson successfully opened The Farmer’s Dog pub in Burford in late 2024; by January 2026, he secured another planning victory allowing him to hard-surface the pub's car parks to manage traffic.

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