Jeremy Clarkson’s farm has been denied planning permission by the local council in his bid to build on the popularity of his Amazon Prime Video show.

       He had wanted to build a new 70-space car park and 60-seat cafe on the site close to the village of Chadlington, Oxfordshire, in addition to its existing farm shop.

       Mr Clarkson argued that he and other local farmers felt that it would help bring more tourism to the area.

       Local residents, however, submitted several complaints to the council following huge amounts of traffic on country roads, as people attempted to visit the farm and its shop.

       Ahead of Monday's meeting, a total of 53 objections were received by the council, along with 12 letters of support.

       Councillors at the meeting of West Oxofordshire District Council supported the planners' recommendation to refuse permission on the grounds the restaurant would be "out of keeping" with the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

       In his last ditch appeal to councillors, Mr Clarkson told a meeting on Monday: "It is diversification of a farming business. We have already started talking to our neighbouring farmers."

       Urban MPs no longer know diddly squat about farming

       It came as the head of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) said urban MPs care more about rural issues because they have watched Clarkson’s Farm.

       Minette Batters told The House magazine that the industry was facing a particularly difficult crisis over the next year.

       “Our departure from the European Union is slightly paling into insignificance compared to the here and now of what the next 12 months are going to be,” she said. “And that’s been really exacerbated by Covid.”

       The series shows the former Top Gear presenter, with no previous farming experience, attempt to run Diddly Squat Farm in the Cotswolds countryside during the pandemic.

       “It has been unbelievable,” Ms Batters said. “I have urban MPs coming up to me at party conferences, saying: ‘We get it, we've been watching Jeremy Clarkson.’

       “It is slightly frustrating but I think programmes like Clarkson’s Farm have reached an audience that hasn’t been reached before.”

       Ms Batters claimed that a “blockage” in Whitehall had meant that it was “impossible” to meet ministers in the Home Office regarding issues such as the shortages of workers.

       “The industry’s thoughts have not been listened to at all,” she added.

       A second series of Clarkson’s Farm was confirmed in July last year.

       Mr Clarkson was not available for comment.