Forget the Posh and Becks glamour, the multimillion-dollar empire, and their idyllic Cotswolds retreat.
The biggest headache for Sir David and Victoria Beckham right now isn’t a fashion faux pas, family drama or even a football scandal – it’s an “angry neighbour” who’s been relentlessly blocking their luxury renovations.
The kicker? He lives a staggering 14,000 kilometres away, right here in Perth, Western Australia.
James Worthington, a man who has repeatedly lodged objections against the celebrity couple’s planning applications for their luxury Cotswolds estate, has been revealed to be residing on the other side of the world.
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David and Victoria Beckham at their Cotswolds retreat. Source: Netflix
The estate is rumoured to be worth well over $22m. Source: Instagram
Despite presenting himself as a concerned local resident of Great Tew, Oxfordshire, Worthington admitted in one objection letter that he has been “working away from the UK since 2019,” listing a Perth address, according to The Times.
The Beckhams, who purchased their Grade II-listed Maplewood Barn estate in 2016, have been keen to enhance their countryside retreat with various additions, including LED lighting around a man-made lake.
However, Worthington has been a persistent thorn in their side, accusing the power couple of transforming the picturesque English countryside into something resembling “Miami or Florida” with “suburbia-style” features.
The couple often share snippets of their country home on social media. Source: Netflix.
David Beckham looking at old photos. Source: Netflix
In objection letters sent to West Oxfordshire District Council in 2023 and again in 2026, Worthington accused the couple of damaging the rural character of the village and “drip-feeding” planning applications rather than presenting a comprehensive vision for the property.
“What is proposed is more akin to Miami or Florida NOT GREAT TEW,” he wrote in one complaint, questioning the plans for lake lighting with a sarcastic jab: “Spotlights, is this really Great Tew or have I mistaken this area for Blackpool?”
The irony of a Perth-based individual dictating the aesthetic of a tiny English village of just 160 residents is not lost on the actual locals.
The estate is also home to David Beckhams other great love … chickens. Source: Instagram.
The Beckham family at their Cotswolds retreat. Source: Instagram.
John Mitchinson, chairman of Great Tew’s parish meetings, told The Times, “Mr Worthington is a mystery to all of us. We have never heard of him and as far as we know he does not live in Great Tew.”
Another long-term resident, Richard Davis, 80, emphatically stated, “This Mr Worthington character is definitely not a villager, I can guarantee that.”
Worthington’s criticisms also extended to the Beckhams’ attempts to create a “classic English meadow scene.”
Referencing famed landscape gardener Capability Brown, he claimed the design was anything but traditional English countryside, pointing to features including a football pitch, outdoor pool and sauna.
The Beckhams, meanwhile, who use the estate as a private sanctuary, have previously stated that the proposed lighting around the pond would enhance the setting while adhering to ecological safeguards.
They also keep chickens and bees on the property, which is reportedly worth $22.5m and gave fans a rare insight into their stunning home as part of their Netflix docuseries Beckham.
Earlier this year, they successfully won a separate planning dispute regarding a new driveway, allowing them to avoid sharing access routes with visitors to the neighbouring Soho Farmhouse.
English (US) · 