YouTube couple Zoella, real name Zoe Sugg, and her fiancé Alfie Deyes have been granted permission to build a donkey sanctuary behind their West Sussex home. Mid Sussex District Council (MSDC) approved their application at a planning meeting on Friday.
However, the council has stipulated that work cannot commence until archaeologists conduct an investigation of the five-acre field. MSDC had previously warned the couple about the potential for buried Roman, Anglo-Saxon, or even prehistoric remains on the site.
The plans, submitted by Zoella in May, include proposals for animal enclosures, stables, three shepherd huts, parking for tractors, and a pond. An earlier excavation across the road from the site had uncovered Roman-period items.
Local residents had raised concerns about the development's potential impact on views, increased traffic, and impeded access to nearby bridleways and public footpaths. Some also complained that gates and fences had already been erected at the site.