Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi are building a new horse stable on their farm in England’s Cotswolds.
However, their plans could be thwarted because they would be building on land where Roman ruins may exist.
The couple submitted their application to West Oxfordshire District Council last month, with the archaeological team confirming to the Daily Mail: “Historic maps and aerial photography suggest that the area of the proposed stables has not been previously developed as part of a farm, so Roman ruins may remain at the site.”
If DeGeneres and de Rossi are granted permission to build on the land, the archeology team said “development should not begin without the presence of an appointed archaeologist.”
The two will also be responsible for monitoring archaeological discoveries during construction.
Despite the temporary setback, DeGeneres and de Rossi submitted a second proposal for an “all-weather equestrian arena.”
Both applications are currently being reviewed by West Oxfordshire District Council.
A representative for DeGeneres told the Daily Mail about their plans: “The applicant’s horses are staying in temporary accommodation in the garage of an existing barn until the (stable application) is decided.
“This application has been made to provide a flat, all-weather field suitable for horse exercise,” they continued.
A spokesperson said the horses would have “more limited opportunities for exercise” during the winter and “other wet periods” due to the River Windrush flooding the area where the horses are currently kept.
To support their proposal, DeGeneres and de Rossi included photos of the November 2024 floods in their application to West Oxfordshire District Council.
The former talk show host, 68, and actress, 53, also filed a petition asking for permission to be granted “without delay.”
Page Six contacted DeGeneres and representatives from West Oxfordshire District Council.
DeGeneres and de Rossi first purchased the 43-acre property in spring 2024 before undergoing extensive renovations.
The comedian and “Arrested Development” alum lived in the house for just a month before putting it on the market and moving into a larger home that could accommodate all of De Rossi’s horses.
“When we decided to live here full-time, Portia knew she couldn’t live without horses,” DeGeneres said in a statement to Sotheby’s at the time. “We needed a house with horse facilities and pasture.”
Now, almost a year after trying to call it quits on their dig, DeGeneres and de Rossi have decided to take an “extended” stay at their farm, called Kitesbridge Farm.
The “Ally McBeal” actress and stand-up comedian fled the United States to southwest England in November 2025 after President Donald Trump was re-elected to a second term.
DeGeneres and de Rossi sold their two-bedroom, two-bathroom beach bungalow in Montecito, Calif., for $5.2 million in March.
Despite not returning to the United States permanently, DeGeneres and de Rossi purchased a $27.4 million mansion in Montecito, California in February.
At the time, a source close to the couple told Page Six that the move was temporary.
“They are not tired of Britain,” the source explained. “They wanted to spend the winter in Montecito. They love the Cotswolds and are looking forward to returning soon.”
