Oxfordshire Council Rejects Billionaire Ronald Burkle's Cotswolds Mansion Plans

Ronald Burkle, the American billionaire and largest shareholder of Soho House, has faced repeated refusals from West Oxfordshire district council for his plans to build a large, lavish mansion in the Cotswolds, specifically in the village of Little Tew. His proposals, which included luxury features such as a gun room, wine store, and a domed entrance hall inspired by Rome's Pantheon, were widely opposed by local residents and conservation groups who described the design as "grotesque" and argued it would cause significant harm to the rural landscape and conservation area. The council criticized the development as "adversely urbanising" and out of scale with the village, emphasizing that it would fail to enhance the local setting or respect the area's defining characteristics. Villagers expressed concerns about increased light and sound pollution, loss of open spaces, and the mansion serving only as a seasonal residence for Burkle and his entourage. Despite Burkle's insistence on being a good neighbor, the backlash has been strong, with notable opponents including composer Max Richter, and locals remain wary of a potential appeal. The case highlights tensions between luxury development ambitions and preservation of rural communities and heritage sites in the Cotswolds.