Ellen DeGeneres and her wife Portia de Rossi have accepted several strict rules imposed on their £22 million Cotswolds mansion.
The former chat show host, 68, and her actress wife, 53, have been given planning permission to build stables for their horses at the property, despite concerns it would 'destroy' Roman remains in the area.
The couple bought the development at Kitesbridge Farm near Burford for £15 million in 2024 and then spent a further £7 million on internal and external renovations.
© Dave Benett/Getty Images for RHThey moved out of the 43-acre site after only a month to find somewhere more suitable for Portia to indulge her passion for horses.
It was listed for sale last July but failed to attract a buyer. They were said to be 'close' to selling it when £4.5 million was slashed from the £22 million asking price and the house was taken off the market as a condition of sale.
According to the Daily Mail, Ellen and Portia now look set to stay in the property after West Oxfordshire District Council granted them planning permission for the stables – subject to a number of stipulations.
Rules
The stables must only be used by the occupiers of the main dwelling and not for a riding school, livery or any other commercial purpose.
Documents showed their property is close to a Roman bridge, a Roman road, and a Roman villa and associated bathhouse but permission was granted on the basis that no development can start without an appointed archaeologist present and further investigation carried out.
© Getty ImagesIn a design statement to support their application to West Oxfordshire District Council, their representatives said: "The applicants carried out a successful renovation of the house last year and wish to make this their long-term home.
"One of their passions is horses and although the building group is large, there is no provision for horses or for their training and bringing up. This application seeks to address this in as sensitive a way as possible."
In approving the application, a planning official wrote: "It is not considered that the proposal will have a materially harmful impact on the Cotswold National Landscape."
A second application for an "all-weather riding area" is said to be still under consideration by the council.
© FilmMagicCountry living
Ellen has mentioned her desire to own a home with horse stables and revealed her spouse would struggle to adapt to the English countryside without one.
She told The Wall Street Journal: "When we decided to live here full time, we knew that Portia couldn't live without her horses. We needed a home that had a horse facility and pastures for them."
The star has shared Portia's love for horses on her social media in the past and posted a video of the actress riding in the English countryside. A caption was added to the footage that said: "Portia’s living her dream riding her horse through the English countryside and into the village. Gosh, I hope she comes home soon."
© Disney General Entertainment ConThe TV star's departure from the US was only intended to be for a few months as they sought refuge from life as celebrities in Montecito; however, in July 2025, Ellen revealed that it was President Donald Trump's 2024 election win which prompted them to make a more permanent move.
Speaking to broadcaster Richard Bacon at the Everyman Theatre in Cheltenham, she said: "We got here the day before the election. We woke up with lots of texts from our friends with crying emojis, and I was like, 'He got in'. And we're like, 'We're staying here'."
She opened up about how much she loves the country, saying: "It’s absolutely beautiful. We’re just not used to seeing this kind of beauty. The villages and the towns and the architecture, everything you see is charming, and it’s just a simpler way of life. It’s clean. Everything here is just better, the way animals are treated, people are polite. I just love it here."
