Simon Cowell gets approval for ‘party barn’ at £8 million Cotswolds farmhouse; plans A-list gatherings with fiancee Lauren Silverman after leaving £45 million Holland Park home
Simon Cowell may have been facing renewed media attention over his past association with former Britain’s Got Talent judge David Walliams, but the television mogul has some personal news to celebrate. Cowell has finally received planning permission to make changes to his £8 million Cotswolds farmhouse, including the creation of a space described as a ‘party barn’ where he can entertain friends and family.According to a report by the Daily Mail, the approval comes after an almost two-year wait for permission to make alterations to the Grade II-listed property. Cowell had purchased the estate around three years ago, and the planning application was submitted nearly two years ago. The proposals were approved by West Oxfordshire Council last month.The development is expected to give the music mogul and his fiancée Lauren Silverman more space to entertain guests, with the proposed socialising area reportedly comparable in size to a newly built house.
Simon Cowell gets green light for changes to his Cotswolds farmhouse
Simon Cowell gets planning approval for a ‘party barn’ at his £8 million Cotswolds farmhouse. (Photo: Instagram)
According to the planning application submitted to West Oxfordshire Council, Cowell’s representatives sought permission for a series of internal and external alterations to the East Wing of the property.The proposals include changes to the master bedroom suite, a bathroom and dressing room, a connecting lobby, and a music and games room. The plans also feature a substantial space for socialising, which has been described as a ‘party barn’.Since the property has Grade II-listed status, the planning agents were required to submit a heritage statement explaining how the proposed changes would preserve its architectural and historical significance.They maintained that the development would not increase the building’s existing footprint or volume and would involve the reconfiguration of existing accommodation, along with a limited number of changes to external openings.In their statement, the agents said the proposals were designed to improve the usability of the East Wing while respecting the character of the historic property. They also assured the council that traditional Cotswolds architecture and locally sourced materials would guide the work.The council approved the plans without receiving any objections, subject to three conditions. These include starting the work within three years, using materials specified in the approved plans and ensuring that the construction remains in keeping with the surrounding locality.
Inside Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman’s Cotswolds home
The music mogul is planning changes to his countryside home, including a space for entertaining guests. (Photo: Instagram)
Cowell moved to the countryside with his fiancee Lauren Silverman and their family after leaving their former £45 million home in Holland Park, west London. The move followed a series of security concerns, including a break-in at their London property.The five-bedroom Cotswolds estate comprises a 19th-century main house and several outlying cottages. It also features extensive landscaped gardens, a gym, an indoor swimming pool and a wild swimming pond.The property has become a regular feature of Cowell’s social media posts. Last year, he shared glimpses of the estate while promoting his Netflix talent show, Simon Cowell: The Next Act. He has also posted videos featuring his beloved Yorkshire Terriers, Squiddly and Diddly, relaxing inside the house.The estate’s outdoor spaces include a manicured lawn, hydrangea bushes and tall hedges. Cowell and Silverman are also said to enjoy cycling around the surrounding country lanes and visiting local establishments.Speaking about his life in the Cotswolds in a recent interview, Cowell said, “It’s brilliant and everything you want is here. I go on my electric bike, I have remote-control cars, a drone… it’s about being outside, whether you walk or bike-ride, and I love the little villages.”Silverman has also spoken about how country living has helped the family spend more time together away from electronic devices.She said, “We do things with the kids that don’t involve computers or phones or tablets when we’re here. We’re outside or doing things other than being consumed by the screen, so it’s healthy and wholesome.”
Simon Cowell and Lauren Silverman are part of the Cotswolds’ social circle
Simon Cowell’s Cotswolds farmhouse is set to become a venue for relaxed gatherings with family and friends. (Photo: Instagram)
Over the years, Cowell and Silverman have become part of the wider Cotswolds social circle. Their neighbours in the affluent countryside region reportedly include David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Princess Beatrice and her husband, Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi.Last year, the couple also hosted a high-profile fundraising event for Great Ormond Street Hospital at the nearby Great Tew estate.The event was attended by Princess Eugenie, Princess Beatrice, Jeremy Clarkson and his partner Lisa Hogan. Clarkson also oversaw a fundraising auction that reportedly raised more than £1 million.
Simon Cowell’s name resurfaces amid David Walliams controversy
The planning approval comes at a time when Cowell has found himself mentioned in renewed coverage surrounding David Walliams and the allegations against the comedian.Walliams, who served as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent from 2012 to 2022, has recently faced allegations of sexual misconduct involving multiple women, including claims relating to teenage girls. Walliams has denied being a sexual predator or breaking the law.His departure from the ITV talent show followed the emergence of recordings in which he made sexually explicit and derogatory remarks about contestants. Cowell, who was also a judge and an executive producer on the show, later said he was not directly involved in the decision for Walliams to leave.
