Pippa Middleton's husband, James Matthews, has told a planning inquiry that only a handful of ramblers have used a footpath through the couple's £15million estate in three years. The couple is fighting a bid to reopen the footpath to walkers, citing security and privacy concerns due to their high public profile.
Pippa Middleton 's husband, James Matthews , has told a planning inquiry that only a handful of ramblers have used a footpath through the couple's £15million estate in three years.
The couple is fighting a bid to reopen the footpath to walkers, citing security and privacy concerns due to their high public profile. The dispute has been ongoing since 2022, when the couple bought the estate from the late Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran. Residents in the picturesque village of Kintbury have accused the couple of being 'arrogant' and 'alienating the community' by seeking to cut off a path that some claim has been used for generations.
The path was allegedly left open by the estate's former owner on the understanding that it could be used as a public passageway. However, Matthews claims it has never been open to the public and that keeping it open would have security 'implications' for the family. He added that he and his wife, Pippa Middleton, have installed electric gates and signs reading 'Private: No Public Access' and 'No Trespassing' at both ends of the path.
The couple is battling with The Ramblers, Britain's walking charity, over access to the footpath in a six-day hearing after which the council will decide whether to declare the road private or public land. The Ramblers' Association has backed 35 residents who appealed to West Berkshire Council to have the lane declared a public right of way.
Matthews also mentioned that he has seen only a handful of people walking along the drive in the last three and a half years since he bought the house. He claimed that each time he spoke to them and told them it was not a public footpath, they acknowledged that it was not a footpath and asked for permission to continue. He added that he gave them permission to continue, but for just that once.
The couple's decision to install electric gates and upgrade the security has been seen as a move to enhance security and privacy, but residents have accused them of being 'arrogant' and 'alienating the community'. The dispute has been ongoing for several years, and the council will make a decision after the six-day hearing. The hearing has been attended by 35 residents, who have backed The Ramblers' Association's appeal to have the lane declared a public right of way.
Matthews' comments have sparked controversy, with some accusing him of being 'selfish' and 'ignoring the needs of the community'. The case has highlighted the tension between private property rights and public access to open spaces. The outcome of the hearing will have significant implications for the community and the couple's decision to restrict access to the footpath.
The dispute has also raised questions about the role of private property in modern society and the balance between individual rights and public interests
Pippa Middleton James Matthews Footpath Private Property Public Access Security Concerns High Public Profile Ramblers The Ramblers' Association West Berkshire Council Kintbury Village Berkshire Britain's Walking Charity
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