A woman who relocated to the Cotswolds after being inspired by Clarkson’s Farm is contemplating exiting the region. Bianca left London for Chipping Norton, charmed by Jeremy Clarkson as he undertook his Diddly Squat Farm venture. Bianca isn’t the only person to opted for a quiet life in the countryside. Stars like former England captain David Beckham, Jamie Oliver and Kate Moss also call Chipping Norton home. Even the former Prime Minister, David Cameron, lives nearby. Yet, Bianca concedes that she’s mulling over abandoning Chipping Norton to return to her London lifestyle. She commented: “I moved here because of Jeremy but I’m probably going back to London. There’s literally nothing here. I feel like I probably didn’t do enough research. I probably should have stayed here in a hotel for a week first to see what it was like.” It was a sentinment echoed by tourist David Smart. The retired postman from Northamptonshire said: “We were going to go and see the farm and the pub but apparently you can’t go in. “I saw the farm is called Diddly Squat. That about sums it up.” Another visitor, Andy Goodyer from South Derbyshire, also found Chipping Norton wanting when compared to other places, saying: “It’s rubbish here – we prefer the Peak District!” Local families are voicing their concerns that the idyllic scenery of Chipping Norton, as depicted on Clarkson’s Farm, may not endure. They worry that Jeremy’son-screen ventures might prompt a swell in property interest, evidenced by several new housing developments emerging locally. The newest development of 350 homes nearly abuts Jeremy’s farm and has ignited opposition from those living in close proximity. Long-term residents argue that whilst Chipping Norton may project an image of glamourous living, the day-to-day reality for them is quite different. Chipping Norton residents and twins Jane Hancox and Clare Webb have commended TV personality Jeremy for drawing attention to the town but are anxious about the ramifications of additional housing on their community. Clare, employed as a cleaner, expressed her concerns: “I think Clarkson is good in the way he’s bringing money in but the thing is, the prices are going up. There isn’t the infrastructure to cope with all the new people coming.” Jane chimed in with her own observations: “We have had new houses built up the road from us and all we smell is sewage because the sewers can’t take it.” She lamented the growing challenges facing locals: “It has got worse over the years with all the houses and people coming through. The roads are not big enough, it has got ridiculous. The traffic is a nightmare. We can’t even get to the doctors. “I’ve met people who have come up from London and said it’s more expensive here than there. In our village, the affordable houses were meant for people from the village but most have gone to strangers.” The next development project in the pipeline is set to transform three fields adjacent to the town’s cherished cricket club into a substantial new residential area. Rainier Developments has approached West Oxfordshire District Council with a scoping report in anticipation of a planning application that could introduce up to 350 homes. Furthermore, situated beside the proposed site is another recently greenlighted project for approximately 90 homes and related infrastructure, sanctioned by the council in 2023. This follows the controversial approval of a development exceeding 100 dwellings on the outskirts of Chipping Norton in April by Gleeson Land, despite receiving over a hundred objections. Local resident Scott Sumners, 56, has observed the transformation of Chipping Norton first-hand, noting that visitors often come to the town only to find a shortfall in tourist attractions. He then shared: “We didn’t have any troubles 20 years ago. There’s still a lot of nice people but there’s so many tourists. It can get a bit rowdy out here on a Saturday night.” On another occasion while walking his dog, he overheard a conversation that underscored the unexpected allure of the town: “I was walking my dog across the road one day and I overheard a couple say they had travelled from Scotland to come and see the town. There’s nothing here.”