Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have been granted planning permission to build horse stables at their £22 million Cotswolds farm, subject to several strict conditions. The couple purchased Kitesbridge Farm near Burford for £15 million in 2024, spending an additional £7 million on renovations, but moved out after only a month due to a lack of horse facilities.
West Oxfordshire District Council approved the stables despite concerns over potential damage to Roman remains on the site, which includes a Roman bridge, road, villa and bathhouse. The permission requires that no development begins without an appointed archaeologist present and further investigations carried out.
The stables must be used solely by the occupiers of the main dwelling and cannot be operated as a riding school, livery or for any commercial purpose. A planning official noted that the proposal would not have a materially harmful impact on the Cotswold National Landscape.
DeGeneres explained the couple's decision to stay in the UK, citing President Donald Trump's 2024 election win as a key factor. Speaking at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, she said: 'We got here the day before the election... and we're like, 'We're staying here'.' She praised the UK's beauty, cleanliness, and polite society.
A second application for an 'all-weather riding area' remains under consideration by the council.
