Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia De Rossi are seeking planning permission to build an all-weather riding arena at their flood-hit Cotswolds estate. The couple, who bought Kitesbridge Farm near Burford for £15m in 2024 and spent a further £7.5m on renovations, have submitted plans to West Oxfordshire District Council.
The application comes after their horses were left unable to exercise on the 43-acre site during winter months due to flooding from the River Windrush. In a planning statement, representatives said the horses are currently kept in temporary accommodation in an existing barn while a separate application for new stables is considered.
The proposed arena would be located outside the flood zone, adjacent to the planned stables, and designed to fit into the undulating landscape. The couple's agents argued that the surrounding fields are unsuitable for exercise in wet conditions, citing photographs from April 2023 showing flooding.
The couple previously moved out of the property less than a month after buying it and placed it on the market last July, but it failed to attract a buyer. However, recent applications for stables and the arena suggest they now intend to make Kitesbridge Farm their long-term home, despite concerns about potential Roman remains on the site.
Council officers have been urged to grant permission for the arena without delay, with representatives stressing there are no nearby neighbours and no impact on residential amenity. Both planning applications remain under consideration.
