Clarkson’s Farm star Kaleb in battle to live on his own land

Kaleb Cooper, the long-suffering former aide to Jeremy Clarkson on his Amazon TV show Clarkson’s Farm, is about to lock horns with the Cotswolds local authority that has also been a thorn in the side of the ex-Top Gear star. 

The 27-year-old father of two has applied for permission to live on his own smallholding with a retrospective application put into West Oxfordshire District Council. It could see him mirroring Clarkson’s own tussles with the council at his Diddly Squat farm.

Kaleb became a much-loved sidekick to 63-year-old Clarkson from the beginning of series 1 of the popular programme, helping the motoring fanatic take on agriculture following the retirement of the farmer who used to run Diddley Squat for him. The down-to-earth advice and acerbic opinions of such a young person pitted against Clarkson’s scepticism, naivety and lack of farming experience quickly endeared him to viewers.

The young farmer, who has a four-acre plot near Clarkson’s farm, told the local authority that either he or another worker needed to live on-site to keep constant watch over his stock of pigs, chickens and calves.

Kaleb has a 38ft caravan on his land, which he currently uses as an office. The Sun reports that the building already has a bathroom and plant pots outside. Now the youngster requires retroactive planning permission for it from the council. If permission is granted, it will give him two years to establish the business.

Next year, Kaleb, who with his girlfriend Tara has a two-year-old son and a newly born daughter, is going on a nationwide tour following the release of his debut book, The World According to Kaleb.

Meanwhile, the former Grand Tour host, who has had a number of battles over his expansion plans for Diddly Squat Farm in Chipping Norton, won a battle with the authority earlier this month when the council’s decision to stop him extending a car park to cope with growing visitor numbers at the farm shop was overturned on appeal. However, he is currently deciding what to do after the council refused him permission to open a restaurant.