David and Victoria Beckham plan garden extension with 91 metre lake at their Great Tew home – Banbury Guardian

A bird's eye view of how the lake will appear at David and Victoria Beckham's Great Tew home

In their application for planning permission their landscape agent quotes English naturalist and horticulturalist Chris Baines, saying 'a garden without a pond is like a theatre without a stage'.

The application follows the celebrity couple's plan to build a gatehouse and create an underground tunnel from the main house at Maplewood Barn to an extended garage and office building.

The new proposal involves obtaining change of use of the agricultural land around the converted barn to extend the curtilage and create the lake, together with extensive landscaping. It will be kidney-shaped and 91m long and 46m wide.

An artist's impressions show a hugely extended garden with a tennis court and the lake, which the application says will be set in a 'gently sloping grass meadow from three sides and neatly mown grass area from the side closest to the house. A mown path will lead to the lake through meadows'.

Spoil from the excavations would be used to create a bund that would help to give the Beckhams greater privacy. The bund would be planted with species such as hazel, oak, honeysuckle, bramble, sycamore, wayfaring tree, yew, hornbeam, birch, hawthorn, crab apple, wild cherry and sorbus.

The landscape design statement says: "The grass around the lake will be sown with a wildfower mix of local provenance. The sides of the lake will be planted with margin loving water plants and native, non-invasive pond weed will be used in the lake.

"Spoil from the excavation of the lake will be used to create a bund along the south perimeter of the property. This will function as a wind barrier and habitat, as well as enhancing the privacy of the house.

"The bund will be planted with a high number of native trees, as well as scrub and hedge plants for nesting birds and other small animals. The varying aspect and topography of the bunds will also allow for increased fora and insect life. The location of the lake is at the lowest level of the site, so the lake will help to retain storm water. It will also create a new link in local water network, which will be of beneft to migrating and foraging water birds."

The application says seeds sourced from 'extremely rare' pond plants, grasses and meadow mixes will be used to attract bees and insects, to enhance the lake.

The Beckhams reportedly spent their 21st wedding anniversary at Maplewood Barn on Saturday.

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David and Victoria Beckham plan garden extension with 91 metre lake at their Great Tew home - Banbury Guardian