Jeremy Clarkson submits plans for 36m-long barn at his Diddly Squat Farm near Chipping Norton

A new 36m-long barn could be coming to Jeremy Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm as applicants cite an “urgent need” for the development.

The former Top Gear star’s plans are for a new agricultural building at the farm in Chipping Norton Road near Chadlington.

It comes after Mr Clarkson has been involved in previous planning disputes with West Oxfordshire District Council several times as he sought to expand the facility.

This included a 70-space car park for the farm shop in response to customers parking on grass verges when visiting the farm.

West Oxfordshire District Council also rejected plans to open a restaurant at Diddly Squat Farm.

The authority shelved separate plans for a pickle court to be built as well as denying Mr Clarkson permission to lay out a simple farm track.

Planning papers for the latest application state the farm has an “urgent need for additional storage” and that the barn’s absence was significantly impacting the price obtained by Mr Clarkson for his produce.

It added: “The current grain store is not of an appropriate design for its purpose and in any case is too small to support the farm’s arable operations which produces up to six different crops, with four main crops.”

The proposed development would be 36m long and 18m wide with a height to the timber building’s ridge of eight metres.

The roof would be a dark blue and black colour with cement fibre sheeting used.

Developers hope the barn will be located around 70m north of the tractor store on the 400-hectare site.

The application addresses how the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty would be maintained.

A planning paper states: “As custodians of the countryside farmers are acutely aware of the importance of their environment and the applicant is eager to work sensitively within it.”

Mr Clarkson bought land for the farm in 2008 but its fields were maintained by a villager named Howard up to his retirement in 2019.

Diddly Squat Farm’s popularity as a tourist destination increased on the back of the success of the farm featuring on the Amazon Prime Video TV series Clarkson’s Farm.

Writing in his Sunday Times column in October, Mr Clarkson said he had contemplated selling the farm.

He wrote: “I arrived at a crossroads and was not sure which way to turn.

“I could sell the farm and earn far more from the interest than I do from growing bread and beer and vegetable oil.”

He went on to say he enjoys owning the Oxfordshire farm, worth up to £13million and which could be passed onto his children tax-free.

West Oxfordshire District Council’s planning committee will consider the application in due course.