Beckhams' 'Blackpool' lighting plans irk neighbours

A neighbour of Sir David and Lady Victoria Beckham has compared plans to install pond lighting at the couple's Cotswolds home to the Blackpool illuminations.

Former England captain Sir David and Spice Girl-turned-fashion designer Lady Victoria plan to install the festooned lighting around the pond at their home in Great Tew near Chipping Norton.

But those living nearby have raised concerns about the impact it will have on light pollution, wildlife and the surrounding area.

One neighbour, James Worthington, said in a comment on the Beckhams' planning application the plans were "more akin to Miami or Florida not Great Tew".

"If I am not amiss, this pond 'lake' is in the countryside in a rural setting," he said.

"Festooned lighting hanging along a 'proposed bridge'... spotlights, is this really Great Tew or have I mistaken this area for Blackpool?

"If the applicants want to live in suburbia, then why come to an area like Great Tew?"

He went on to say the lights could become "a source of annoyance to people" and "harmful to wildlife", and added that he felt they could "undermine enjoyment of the countryside or the night sky".

Worthington's comments come after Sir David and Lady Victoria lodged an application to West Oxfordshire District Council to update the landscaping on their Cotswold property and install lighting around its pond.

Since then, the family have renovated the space to include a man-made lake, a sauna, a football pitch, and a bee garden - which featured heavily in the Netflix documentary about Sir David released in 2023.

Additional reporting from PA Media