‘Missing’ YouTuber Zoella gets go-ahead for donkey sanctuaryas locals rage over ‘blurred’ boundaries & ‘family’ letters

ONCE the most famous girl on the internet, Zoe Sugg – or Zoella as she was once known – now leads a rather different life.

Away from the public eye, the 36-year-old has been embroiled in a dispute with the neighbours on the posh lane in Sussex she lives on – and we can reveal things have just got a whole lot worse after the latest development in the saga.

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[Aerial view of residential properties surrounded by trees and green fields with two pink X marks highlighting locations.]

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While fans feared for Zoes welfare after she went missing, we told how she was actually busy trying to get a donkey sanctuary off the ground.

Now, despite some major objections, the YouTuber has been granted permission to build the shelter in her back garden – a decision that has raised eyebrows. 

One furious neighbour raged: Nobody is bothered about the donkeys – weve all seen them before.

Zoe and Alfie, 32, moved into their 1.75 million five-bed home near Brighton back in 2017, before welcoming daughters Ottilie in 2021 and Novie in 2023. 

The star, who was taking home 60,000 a month at the height of her vlogging career, recently splashed out on a five-acre field behind her house after spending years trying to buy it.

The couple were determined not to allow it to be sold off to make new homes or spoil the view from their home.

And she had a very clear idea about what she wanted to do with the space – use it to rehome donkeys and add shepherd’s huts alongside their pens.

However, her plans were almost scuppered by objections from locals when she first applied back in May. 

Residents were miffed when they spotted the only letters of support came from Zoes family members and urged the council to take this into consideration.

Many of their objections highlighted potentially harmful impact on the look of the area, increased traffic on the private access road and urbanisation caused by the shepherds huts.

We can reveal that planners at Mid Sussex have now approved the sanctuary after reviewing all the documents. They have insisted the YouTuber has an archaeological survey and report done first.

But neighbours along the private road where Zoella and members of her family live said they are still unhappy about the donkey drama.

One local, who asked not to be named, said: We were all kind of resigned to the fact it was going to be approved by the way it was presented.

Its always been access which was the main objection.

There was no access there before and they could use the access from their other properties to get to the land.

The private road marks the boundary between two villages in idyllic Mid Sussex.

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Residents fear the development will further blur the line between the two communities and leave the way clear for more development.

Another ranted: What if they sell up and buy an island?

Somebody else could come in and decide to build a few houses there.

It is the access that is the main concern right now. When you come out of there, there is no visibility.

Nobody is bothered about the donkeys – weve all seen them before.

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Another neighbour on the private lane said they were concerned for everybody who uses the road.

They said: Children, pedestrians, horses as well as cars use the road.

There is far too much strain on local amenities already in this area and the risk of more development goes against the local area plan.

The development will include a donkey enclosure and stables to be built alongside three shepherd’s huts and a pond with parking for tractors.

Gates and fences have already gone up at the site and a poster pinned to it – now removed – said: Weve lived here for 9 years with our garden backing onto this field and have always been worried about the risk of it one day being developed into new houses.

After many years of trying to purchase the field, last year we managed to do so! Which means not only the view from our house/many others along the road being protected, but also helping keep the lovely walking spot it is for so many people every single day!

If you live in this area, and like us are keen to keep as much green space thriving as possible, please head over to the planning website & leave a positive comment to help encourage Mid Sussex Council to approve more similar projects to ours!”

Experts raised concerns about the plans to start work in her newly bought five acre field until it can be dug up by archaeologists.

Zoellas garden could have significant archaeological remains – a report claimed Roman, Anglo-Saxon and even prehistoric artefacts could still be in the ground.

A recent dig on the other side of the road from Zoella uncovered Roman features.

So although she now has permission, it might be some time until we see any major developments.

Its been eight months since Zoella last posted online her last appearance dates back to January 1 this year, when the star shared a weekly photo dump full of wholesome family photos and chocolate-box lifestyle snaps.

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Zoe and her long-term fianc, Alfie aka PointlessBlog were among a gang of noughties YouTubers dubbed the Brit Crew, who cashed in on subscribers and profited from lucrative brand partnerships.

The pair helped originate Vlogmas over the festive season, video countdowns to the big day that championed the spirit of Christmas and the commercialisation of it.

Fans now think the pair appeared to foreshadow their online vanishing act during their Vlogmas series last festive season and even admitted that they knew their fans would be upset. 

In the clip, which recently resurfaced, Zoe said:We need to end it while everyone still loves it. We cant end it when just, like, five people watch it, like: Why are they still here?

Alfie replied in agreement, saying: Part of me hopes we arent still posting videos in, like, 20, 15 years.

Equally, imagine the people who have been watching us for 12 years, say, and then one day they just never got another update.

Its like we are friends, and then were not friends any more.

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Its like a break-up a one-sided break-up.

But while shes not been posting, members of the Zoella fandom have been sharing about bumping into Zoe and Alfie in their hometown of Brighton.

Then there was a brief vlog appearance on her brothers channel, Strictly star Joe Sugg, known online as Thatcher Joe.

Following the birth of his first child with pro dancer Dianne Buswell in April, he held up a printed photo of a beaming Auntie Zoe meeting baby Bowden.

Her voice has also been heard in the background of another of his vlogs, though she avoided appearing on camera.

But will her new venture finally bring her out of hiding? Donkey vlogs could be just what her fans are after.