Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews have won a contentious planning battle to prevent a driveway on their Berkshire estate from being designated a public right of way, overturning a 2024 council decision that would have allowed walkers permanent access through their property. A government-appointed planning inspector ruled Monday that the public's use of the route through Barton Court over the legally required 20-year period was insufficient to justify the designation, according to reports .

The dispute centered on Mill Lane, a roughly 285-meter driveway through the couple's 145-acre estate in Kintbury, West Berkshire. Matthews, a hedge fund manager, purchased Barton Court for £15.5 million in 2022 and installed electric gates across the drive within weeks, prompting the West Berkshire Ramblers to apply in January 2023 for a definitive map modification order recognizing the route as a public footpath . More than 30 walkers, backed by the Ramblers' Association, petitioned West Berkshire District Council, which approved the request in 2024. Matthews challenged that decision, arguing the path had not been freely used by the public for the uninterrupted 20-year period required under English law .

Planning inspector Kenneth Taylor found that public use of the route from September 2002 until September 2022, when the gate was installed, was "very limited" . He highlighted a Google Street View image from 2009 showing signs reading "Barton Court Private Road" and evidence that a "Barton Court Private Road" sign had been present since at least 1983 . In a 16-page ruling, Taylor concluded that the low levels of use were not sufficient to establish that the public were asserting a continuous right to use the drive as a footpath .

Matthews had argued during a public inquiry held in May at Kintbury Coronation Hall that his family's high public profile necessitated elevated security measures. "There are implications for my family, due to their high public profile, which means there is a need for a higher level of security than would otherwise be the case," he told the inquiry . Lady Victoria Conran, widow of designer Sir Terence Conran who sold the estate to the couple, supported their case, stating she had seen only one unauthorized person using the driveway in 30 years of living at Barton Court .

Local councillor Tony Vickers expressed dismay at the outcome. "I am surprised and very disappointed that the inspector came down on the landowner's side," he said. "After attending almost all the inquiry, I could not see any relevant argument put by Mr Matthews' supporters" . A spokeswoman for the couple said they were "grateful for the careful consideration given to the facts" .

Why this matters

The ruling highlights the tension between private property rights and public access to Britain's historic footpath network, a conflict that has intensified as wealthy buyers purchase rural estates. Under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act, paths used openly for 20 years without permission can become public rights of way, but the burden of proof falls on those claiming access. The case also underscores the unique security considerations facing the Middleton family, whose proximity to the royal family has brought heightened public scrutiny. The Barton Court estate is located just 12 miles from the Berkshire childhood home of Pippa, 43, and her sister, the Princess of Wales .

The decision comes amid broader scrutiny of the couple's estate management. Last month, they were ordered to remove an "unsightly" car park constructed on the property after West Berkshire Council found it introduced a "visually intrusive and urbanised feature" to the National Landscape area .