King Charles' view of wildflower meadows around Highgrove are under threat over plans to build 135 new homes

By SHANNON MCGUIGAN, NEWS REPORTER Published: 09:09, 22 April 2026 | Updated: 09:19, 22 April 2026 King Charles' view of the wildflower meadows near Highgrove House is under threat of destruction with looming plans to build 135 new homes, locals claim.  The fields between Bath Road and Longfurlong Lane near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, have been described as a nature lover's paradise.  And even the King has planted some of the hedges in the area himself.  However, the wildlife utopia neighbouring the royal residence is now under threat after being targeted by developers, Miller Homes.  Meanwhile, the proposed housing development has sparked fury among locals who fear it will destroy the beloved wildflower meadows.  They have also accused developers of profiteering amid fears they will charge a premium to be 'the King's neighbour'.  Despite objections among some locals, the neighbouring development is continuing to be pushed forward with a local consultation.  Locals also fear the plans could even lead to unintended confrontations with armed security staff.  Conservative councillor Laura Hall-Wilson said she has not spoken to a single resident who was not opposed to the scheme.  The fields between Bath Road and Longfurlong Lane near Tetbury, Gloucestershire, have been described as a nature lover's paradise but are now under threat (Pictured: Cllr Laura Hall-Wilson and Peter Martin) The wildlife utopia neighbouring Highgrove House (pictured) is now under threat after being targeted by developers, Miller Homes Your browser does not support iframes. She also accused developers of a cynical bid to build homes and then hike prices under the banner of being a royal neighbour.  'I am not saying the King should have any say over land use above that of a normal citizen,' she said.  'But it is very close to Highgrove, and the people of Tetbury give him peace wherever he goes. I am sure he enjoys the tranquillity of the fields and the surroundings. 'People here are very respectful of that and they are generally royalists and like the King.  'He has been very supportive of the town, and I think the relationship is good. Everyone is very respectful of their privacy.' As she added that it felt like 'cynical form' from the developers, she said she would be 'surprised' if there were no security concerns given their proximity to Highgrove.    'Highgrove is very well policed. You would do well to sneak in there without being seen, but I think there has got to be some concern there,' she added. The privately owned fields are a priority conservation habitat within the Cotswold National Landscape and an important heritage setting on the southern approach to the historic town of Tetbury. The fields also don't feature in the local plan, and residents believe the developers are hiding behind the guise of fulfilling a housing need, despite other sites being more suitable in the town. Cllr Hall-Wilson added: 'The application has not come forward yet, but the developer is actively consulting local stakeholders. 'It has been put out to consultation to seek people's opinions on the proposed development. Without question, they are pressing ahead. Despite objections among some locals, the neighbouring development is continuing to be pushed forward with a local consultation (Pictured: Longfurlong Lane) Locals also fear the plans could even lead to unintended confrontations with armed security staff (Pictured: The fields that may be developed) They have also accused developers of profiteering amid fears they will charge a premium to be 'the King's neighbour' Pictured: A church in Tetbury - the historic town nearby where the plans have been proposed  'It is extremely unpopular in the village - I would say it is unanimously unpopular in Tetbury - I've not spoken to anyone in favour. 'It is a bolt-on development to the edge of town and does not naturally lend itself to development.  'It is beautiful, quiet and peaceful and has existing footpaths over it. It already has access and no houses.  'It's open countryside and it is deep shades of green with some old Cotswold stone walls, old buildings, barns and lovely trees that have been there a long time. It is just a lovely piece of Cotswold countryside.' She described opposition from the town to the plans as a 'blanket no', adding that she believed they would get no positive feedback from locals.   Peter Martin, a former district councillor and chairman of residents' group the Longfurlong Greenfields Association (LGA) accused the developers of knowing 'full well' that the site is outside the development boundary 'It is right on the border with land owned by Highgrove and the high security zone is one field back and no more than 150 metres away,' he said. 'I suspect and would hope the security team would have a word and say it is not acceptable for people to be milling around so close to high security.  'It is patrolled by armed officers. They won't want an accidental conflict with the public. Security won't want dogs running around, and children playing so close to it. 'The King is not allowed to interfere with the planning process, and that is the right thing. But I think his security might do that. '[The monarch] may send a representative, but there are lots of planning reasons why it shouldn't go ahead.' Peter said that two months ago, he decided to form an association, and within a day, more than 100 people had already signed up. He added: 'People come from all over Tetbury to walk here, and there is a good network of footpaths that already exist. 'They come for peace and quiet, some regeneration and fresh air. In three weeks' time these fields will be bursting with wild flowers. 'Barn owls fly over, and there are all sorts of other wildlife. It's one of those open spaces that people can get peace of mind and that needs to be protected. 'The proposal is very crude. I call it carpet bombing. They identify fields and carpet bomb them with housing. 'It is so disrespectful to the town, the community and the land with all its wildlife and nature. Peter also raised concerns that the King's privacy would be impacted by the development if it goes ahead, despite being greatly protected by locals over the years.  '[The King] comes down here to forget about the problems in London. For us as a community we absolutely guard his privacy,' he added. 'He wants to enjoy the lovely, rural nature, listen to the birds and he is an avid gardener. 'He has certainly enjoyed these fields himself. I know he personally laid three of the hedges out there behind the woods as I talked to him while he was doing it. 'His own physical effort to create that landscape across the road and that needs to be protected for all of us.' Miller Housing are the largest housing developer in the country and are backed by an enormous US financial company.  'This isn't about Nimbys versus Yimbys, it's about protecting our countryside and community from cynical exploitation,' Peter added.  Cllr Laura Hall-Wilson claims she has not met a local who did not object to the proposals and that it was a 'blanket no' from the community  'Objectively it doesn't make any difference that this is happening on the King's doorstep, except perhaps to prove that now, nowhere in Britain is safe. 'It shows just how vulnerable our rural communities are to a planning system that is stacked against us and the natural beauty of where we live.' Chris Giles, LGA Secretary and former community spaces manager at South Gloucestershire Council, echoed concerns about security for the Royal household.  Other locals have criticised the plans, describing it as 'nonsense', before adding that it should be 'thrown out'. They added: 'We moved here because of the peaceful nature of the town but things would change with this development.' Another added: 'Tetbury cannot support more developments on this scale as the local amenities are so under funded and supported.' A Miller Homes spokesperson said: 'Proposals for new, sustainable housing in this part of Gloucestershire have already included positive communication with local councillors, and we will share further information on plans for this land, to engage with the community, in the near future.' The Daily Mail has approached Buckingham Palace for comment.  The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. 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