Too much red tape leaves farmers ‘hanging’.
In this Article...
PFFA were contacted by Clem Jackson, an organic farmer in Devon, about difficulties with obtaining planning permission. It's almost as if they don't want farmers to be more efficient. Read his story below.
I thought it might be interesting to let you know my plight as an organic farmer in Devon with regard to obtaining planning permission to put up a barn for livestock on our 60-acre holding.
We thought as organic, non pesticide, non chemical fertilisers, non herbicide users and with regard to the reduction in our food security, that we would be helped and supported in our projection to improve animal welfare and food output. Sadly we were in for a shock. We thought stupidly now, that removing the topsoil from the barn area we considered appropriate on all levels was a sensible time saving idea prior to sending in our 28-day notice informing the planning council we wanted to put up a small barn.
They refused our permitted development application requiring further information.
Someone complained to the planners that they were concerned with the topsoil removal.
Enter, the planning enforcement officer who accused us of engineering works due to the topsoil removal. Then they told us we needed a full planning application because the pile of topsoil we put on an adjacent field was engineering works and needed planning permission because we changed the contour of the field. When I asked if he would be happier if I got lorries in to remove it, he accused me of being pedantic.
We, in the process of submitting full planning, have had to do so many reports, bio-diversity net gain analysis, carbon usage projection, DEV 32 report, Suds report, ecology degradation analysis and report, climate emergency form. SAP calculations, all brought in end of february 2024.
We had to hire a barn on another farm for lambing and we had to cancel the pig breeding stock we had ordered.
Our planning costs have gone from £2,500 to £7,500 at the moment and it now looks like we will have to hire the barn on another farm for this year’s lambing. This created excess diesel use travelling 4 times a day from our home to the rented barn.
We are now 11 months into the process and still have not put in the full planning application because there are not the consultants available to provide the reports until late in September, November due to the demand.
We are told by the planning department that a carbon usage and reduction projection report is necessary to comply with the net zero objectives and yet the delay in getting the barn built is quadrupling our diesel usage.
Then I see at our local garage, broccoli tips and mangetouts imported(flown in) from Kenya and Peru. Both products we are growing now in the UK.
Am I missing something?????
Regards
Clem Jackson
