Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews have erected electric gates and 'private' and 'no entry' signs across a section of Mill Lane on their 145-acre estate in Kintbury, Berkshire, sparking a conflict with local residents who claim the lane has always been a public right of way. The couple, who have lived at Barton Court since 2022, installed the barriers on the lane that runs through their property, according to multiple reports. Local residents and the West Berkshire Ramblers assert that Mill Lane has been used freely as a footpath since at least the 1960s and is a public right of way. The dispute has escalated to a legal battle, with the outcome determining whether the gates must be removed or can remain.
West Berkshire Council designated Mill Lane as a public right of way in 2024 after an application by the ramblers, according to multiple reports. James Matthews has appealed the council's decision via a London barrister, and a public meeting will be held next month, major media outlets report. The appeal challenges the council's authority to classify the lane as public, arguing it is part of the private driveway to Barton Court. The Planning Inspectorate may ultimately rule on the matter if the appeal proceeds.
I feel it will only be a matter of time before there's a serious or fatal accident involving a pedestrian.
The historical context of the lane adds complexity to the dispute. The previous owner, Sir Terence Conran, never objected to walkers using the lane and kept the gate open, according to local residents and Eugene Futcher, chairman of West Berkshire Ramblers. Futcher told wire reports that Sir Terence did nothing to discourage people from using the lane and kept the gate open, and that feelings are running quite high in the village. The Matthews family purchased the Grade II-listed mansion, valued at £15 million with 32 bedrooms, in 2022, and have since sought to restrict access.
Residents have raised safety concerns about the alternative route they are now forced to use. Locals claim they must use a narrow country lane called Station Road, which has no pavement and is frequented by HGVs, which they say is dangerous. According to Daily Mail - Home, Charles Robins, a 72-year-old concerned neighbour, described feeling that it will only be a matter of time before there is a serious or fatal accident involving a pedestrian. Futcher added in wire reports that it is a safe way to get to and from the village, so walkers are put at risk if they have to use the road. James Matthews, however, described Mill Lane in documents to the council as a 'surfaced drive with unremarkable views', according to major media reports.
Several unknowns remain in the case. The specific evidence James Matthews presents to support his claim that Mill Lane is private has not been disclosed. The exact date of the council's designation of Mill Lane as a public right of way is unclear, as is the date of the upcoming public meeting. It is also unknown whether there have been any accidents on Station Road that support the residents' safety concerns, and the legal basis for the Matthews' appeal has not been detailed.