Rupert Lowe, leader of the anti-immigration party Restore Britain and former chairman of Southampton Football Club, is facing opposition over plans to convert a barn on his Gloucestershire estate into a residential property. The MP for Great Yarmouth in Norfolk is seeking permission to develop the barn along with a separate annexe and garage, prompting objections from local residents and officials.

The proposed development has drawn criticism from Rose Vestey, sister-in-law of the late Lord Vestey, who was a close confidant of Queen Elizabeth II and served as her Master of the Horse. Vestey has lodged a formal complaint with the local council, expressing concerns that the scheme would disrupt the “unspoilt aspect” of the valley where the barn is located. She and other objectors have also voiced worries that approving the project could lead to further construction, urging the council to impose restrictions on additional development.

Further scrutiny comes from a biodiversity officer with the local council, who cautioned that the plans risk damaging the protected Cotswold Beechwoods nearby. The officer highlighted potential harm to vulnerable wildlife populations and noted that increasing the number of residents in the area might place additional recreational pressure on sensitive environmental features.

This is not Lowe’s first encounter with planning authorities over development proposals on his property. In 2023, he sought to convert five derelict barns into residential units, but the council rejected the application. Lowe appealed the decision, but the planning inspector upheld the rejection, criticizing the design as “insensitive” and concluding it would undermine the agricultural character of the buildings and negatively affect the surrounding landscape.

Lowe, who built his career in investment banking and private equity before entering politics, maintains that his current project aims to restore “dilapidated and destroyed old barns” rather than develop farmland or alter the area's rural nature. He contends that the plans will preserve the historic structures and enhance the estate, countering opponents' claims about potential environmental and aesthetic impacts.

The controversy underscores ongoing tensions in the Cotswolds between property owners seeking to adapt historic buildings for modern use and local stakeholders advocating for conservation of the region’s natural and architectural heritage. The council is expected to consider the objections carefully as it weighs the application.