Jeremy Clarkson must rip off roof of his Diddly Squat farm shop after clashing with planners

EXCLUSIVE: Jeremy Clarkson faces a bill for thousands of pounds to rip off his Diddly Squat farm shop’s steel roof in the Cotswolds after planners said it wasn’t ‘visually harmonious’

  • Clarkson got permission to erect the shop on the understanding that materials used for the roof would be approved by officials before work began 
  • But a building contractor apparently unaware of the condition used a green steel sheet roof instead without getting it agreed
  • Council planners wanted a more traditional – and expensive – slate roof fitted that was more in keeping with its Cotwolds surroundings 
  • The television presenter opened the non-organic store on his sprawling £4m estate in February last year
  • He is believed to be filming his progress the farm in Chadlington, Oxon, for an Amazon Prime series showing his attempts to learn how to become a farmer

Jeremy Clarkson faces a bill for thousands of pounds to rip off and replace the roof of his farm shop.

The effusive TV star has lost an appeal against a planning decision that the materials he used to build it weren’t visually harmonious with neighbouring Cotswolds properties.

The Grand Tour and former Top Gear host originally got permission to erect the store, which opened last year, on the understanding that any materials used for the roof would be approved by officials before work began. 

But a building contractor apparently unaware of the condition used a green steel sheet roof instead without getting it agreed.

This then fell foul of council planners who wanted more traditional – and expensive – slate used.

Jeremy Clarkson chats to locals at his Diddly Squat farm shop in Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire

An attempt to overturn this position and keep the cheaper roof has now definitively failed. 

A council source told MailOnline: ‘As the application has been refused he will have to change it.’

Several locals had already voiced their objections to the plans when approval was first sought. ‘The Grand Tour’ host took that earlier setback in his stride and said he didn’t blame those who were complaining – adding ‘otherwise what is the point in planning permission’.

The council then ruled in his favour to allow the store to be built – before the saga over the roof began. 

Jeremy, who celebrated his 61st birthday on Sunday, is believed to be filming his progress on Diddly Squat Farm in Chadlington, Oxon, for an Amazon Prime series showing his attempts as an ‘inept townie’ to learn how to become a farmer.

The television presenter opened the non-organic store on his sprawling £4m estate in February last year.

The former Top Gear presenter must replace the roof of his Diddly Squat farm shop after the building contractor used a green steel (above) that council planners were unhappy with

The former Top Gear presenter must replace the roof of his Diddly Squat farm shop after the building contractor used a green steel (above) that council planners were unhappy with 

Clarkson opened the £4million farm shop (pictured) last year and he is rumoured to be filming his progress  as an 'inept townie' learns how to become a farmer for an Amazon Prime series

Clarkson opened the £4million farm shop (pictured) last year and he is rumoured to be filming his progress  as an ‘inept townie’ learns how to become a farmer for an Amazon Prime series

Around 100 people turned up to grab produce grown on Clarkson’s land – with a humourous sign promising prices would be ‘less than Aldi’.

The farm in Chadlington, Oxfordshire, was given the name Diddly Squat as a joke about supposedly poor crop yields.

When the farm opened around 100 people turned up to grab produce grown on Clarkson’s land – with a humourous sign promising prices would be ‘less than Aldi’.

It’s understood the council have yet to seek to enforce the order to change the roof.

Clarkson was contacted for a comment.