Jeremy Clarkson has revealed that his planning clearance dispute with his local municipality influenced a key storyline for his show Clarkson’s Farm.
Cameras have been following the former Top Gear star, 63, since he decided to try his hand at farming after acquiring land in the Cotswolds some years ago.
He’s had several challenges along the road, not the least of which is being repeatedly warned off by agricultural contractor Kaleb Cooper, 25, but dealing with local authorities has been one of his most tough responsibilities.
From expanding the parking lot at his Diddly Squat farm shop to wanting to create an on-site restaurant, Jeremy has faced tough struggles on occasion.
He now admits that a farmer buddy informed him that any squabbles over planning clearance would make for great television.
In his latest column, Jeremy recalled how after the first season of the show aired he was told: ‘If you want a storyline for the next series, try getting planning permission for something.”’
‘I was a bit puzzled and asked what he meant by “something”.
‘“Anything,” he replied. “It doesn’t matter. Because I guarantee you’ll be turned down.”’
He then went on to write in The Sun column that despite farmers being told to diversify by the government due to being about to lose EU grants and subsidies, their attempts were being met with little support.
‘If a farmer tries to do that, his local council will say no,’ he continued.
Then reflecting on his own experiences, Jeremy wrote about ‘how right’ his friend was.
After attempting to get planning permission to turn an existing building on his property into a restaurant – that would ‘serve the beef, lamb, beer and potatoes that we grow on the farm’- Jeremy said the response was like he’d asked permission ‘to build Studio 54’.
‘As my farming friend had predicted, the council went berserk and did everything in its power to stop me,’ he said.
‘And it wasn’t just the restaurant, either. They even turned their guns on my little farm shop, firing so many heavy salvoes that, even today, I’m not allowed to sell my own farming books in there.’
Following a meeting with the ‘man in charge’ of Britain’s planning rules at the time, Michael Gove, Jeremy stated that someone in the room responded unexpectedly and supported his calls, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak recently announcing that red tape would be reduced so farmers could open farm shops and sports facilities more easily.
But, not missing his chance for a subtle dig, Jeremy quipped that the PM would have to move quickly as ‘soon he will be gone’.
He then said in his place would be a ‘tribe of barely coherent weird beards who think the countryside should be one big open space for the cagouley Kumbaya brigade’ and that instead of buying locally grown food in locally run shops, we should import ‘all the avocados and quinoa we need from South America and sell them at artisanal health food outlets in Islington’.
The third season of Clarkson’s Farm premieres in May, but the crew faces several problems, as always.
After Jeremy’s hopes for the restaurant were dashed, he will also deal with ‘crops failing in the severe hot weather and inflation driving prices of supplies sky high’.
Clarkson’s Farm is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
