Pippa Middleton and her husband are at the center of a neighborhood dispute

Bad temporary current in the West Berkshire countryside. Pippa Middleton and her husband James Matthews they moved there two years ago and now have problems with the neighbors. They became owners of a huge 58 hectare property on the Kintbury Estate. The building belonged to Terence Conran, a design mogul who had allowed residents to use the country lane that led to the driveway of the Georgian-style manor. But since the couple moved in they have decided to prohibit access, posting the relevant “No Entry” and “Private Property” signs.

According to the Telegraph James Matthews even submitted a “motorway declaration notice” to West Berkshire Council in March 2024, demarcating his private land and declaring that the road was no longer accessible. A change that upset residents of the area, who regularly used the path for their walks. The West Berkshire Ramblers association, which brings together many hikers, has therefore requested a “permanent map change order” to reaffirm the public’s right of access. An official response is expected in March 2025, in the meantime, however, owners have the right to impose their own restrictions.

The president of the association, Eugene Futcherdeclared to the English newspaper: «There are numerous testimonies regarding the fact that the public has had access to this path since the 1960s. (…) It is connected to essential pedestrian crossings that the public has used for generations. If it were blocked, it would not only limit access to the network, but would also force pedestrians and hikers to take a dangerous and very busy road without a pavement.” He added: “The Agricultural Land Act 1981 states that if a footpath can be shown to have been used for 20 years or more it can be claimed as a public right of way.” The conclusion of this story will only be known in a few months. Meanwhile, relations between Pippa Middleton, James Matthews and the neighborhood are likely to remain tense.