A final decision on Jeremy Clarkson’s planning appeals could take a “number of weeks”, the planning inspectorate has revealed.

Jeremy Clarkson’s appeals hearings took place this week in West Oxfordshire District Council’s Woodgreen offices in Witney on 14 and 15 March.

Mr Clarkson chose not to attend the meeting himself but his land agent Charlie Ireland, known as ‘Cheerful Charlie’ to Clarkson’s Farm fans, spoke on the second day of the hearing about the difficulties soaring fertiliser prices and reduced government subsides presented.

Mr Clarkson started the appeals process in response to the council refusing to give approval to a car park and a restaurant at the farm.

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The hearing lasted two days, with notable contributions from Chadlington resident Hilary Moore, who wants to farm shop to close down, and Annabel Gray, the owner of a catering trailer on the site.

Ms Moore criticised the lack of “permanent washing facilities” and hit out at “motorhead” tourists for clogging up the roads and making the surrounding area dangerous.

Senior planning officer Chris Wood blamed the operation of Diddly Squat Farm shop for “bringing locals and visitors into conflict with one another”.

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The planning inspectorate has confirmed to the Oxford Mail it is not certain when the planning inspector Richard Perrins will announce a decision, and this could take up to a “number of weeks”.

A planning inspectorate spokesman said: “The time taken by an inspector to deliver an appeal decision will vary for a number of reasons including the type of case, duration of the hearing and the amount of evidence presented and can take a number of weeks”.

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Yesterday it was reported Mr Clarkson had submitted a new planning application for a temporary car park at the farm and this application requests permission to use a 60m by 32m field adjacent to the TV star’s farm shop as a car park until January 2025.

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During the hearing, Mr Ireland emphasised the farm was doing a lot to promote farm diversification.

He explained: “There has never been more of a need.

“The subsidy has been reduced from £90 per acre to zero.

“There are limited replacements and the volatility in farming has never been highlighted more.”

Mr Ireland told the council fertiliser prices had “doubled” and said it was “really tough to run a business under those circumstances”.

READ MORE: Jeremy Clarkson hearing: People speak on economic benefits

Mr Ireland highlighted the farm shop sold at least 50 products and he argued Diddly Squat was only a “vibrant farming business” because they had the “ability to sell the products in the farm shop”.

In responding to Mr Wood’s concerns about the number of people using the car park, Mr Ireland said they could not “control where people come from” and he highlighted that “they do buy the fresh produce”.