​The 65-year-old former Top Gear and Grand Tour host was given planning permission by West Oxfordshire District Council earlier this month for The Farmer’s Dog. Mr Clarkson was given permission to put hard surfacing in both car parks such as the one in the western car park at the Asthall spot, near Burford. Found off the A40, The Farmer’s Dog was bought by the Clarkson’s Farm star in the summer of 2024 for £1m. null (Image: Ben Birchall / PA) One of the focuses of the Amazon Prime TV series was his ongoing battle with the council to get planning permission at Diddly Squat farm, in Chadlington. But unlike his Diddly Squat Farm Shop, the Farmer’s Dog hasn’t had the same level of planning issues with the local authority. However, in granting planning permission earlier this month, West Oxfordshire district council has set out a list of rules and conditions that comes with approving the plans. The first being the existing hedge along the northern boundary of the eastern car park must be above 1.5 metres tall. And any plant that does die must be replaced in the next planting season with a similar species and at the same height, the council insisted. West Oxfordshire District Council said this is to “safeguard a feature that contributes to the biodiversity, character and landscape” of the area. What’s more, the council is insisting Mr Clarkson’s pub provides a transport management method statement in the next six weeks to “ensure all appropriate measures are taken to manage traffic and ensure road safety for vehicles and pedestrians”, the council said. null (Image: Ben Birchall/PA/Canva) Access gates to the car park must open inwards, the council demanded, and no work can actually begin until a “detailed” surface water drainage scheme for both car parks has been submitted to and approved in writing. Among other demands, the council has said Mr Clarkson must include various ‘nature-friendly’ enhancements. This includes installing bird and bat boxes and grassland enhancements around the beer garden. As reported, West Oxfordshire planning officer Kelly Murray said in her decision that the pub had attracted an “unusual” level of traffic which was causing problems for Asthall. “The number of visitors to the site is reportedly causing congestion along the A40 and also within the village of Asthall itself,” she said. She drew comparison to Mr Clarkson’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop which also saw severe traffic issues when it opened and during the summer months as thousands flock to the shop.