Agenda item

Erection of 2 No. luxury canvas holiday lodges (resubmission of 3/30/20/002) Little Haddon Farm, Skilgate to Little Haddon Farm, Skilgate, TA4 2DE

Erection of 2 No. luxury canvas holiday lodges (resubmission of 3/30/20/002) Little Haddon Farm, Skilgate to Little Haddon Farm, Skilgate TA4 2DE

Comments from members of the public included:

·       Crucial information had been submitted to the Planning Officer to substantiate the status as a working farm;

·       Planning advise on the definition of diversification was sought from Defra, the National Farmers Union and a Planning Solicitor;

·       The decision should be made on current legislation and guidance;

·       The reasons for refusal were grossly conflicting, unsubstantiated and fraught with inaccuracies;

·       The application supported local support to the local economy;

·       A precedent had already been set by a farm 4 miles down the road which sits outside of the development zone and was granted farm diversification permission to erect six canvas tents, all were larger and more visible than ours;

·       Concerns that Policy EC11 was missed in the previous planning reports;

·       Six letters of support had been received for the application;

·       The applicant was compliant with the Council Policies EC9 and EC11 of the Local Plan.

·       The applicant had worked hard to develop their business;

·       There would be no significant increased traffic movement to the site;

·       Wimbleball lake which was near the site would be ideal as it had lots of water sports facilities. The site also included an all-terrain mobility scooter and a wheelie boat with wheelchair access which was ideal for people with disabilities;

·       This was a small development in a small community where the economy was underpinned by small enterprises;

·       This development was a for all and not to be dictated to who could stay there;

·       If this application was not supported we would make a very clear statement that inclusivity and accessibility were of no consequence to the committee;

·       Good initiative, sensitive and well supported beneficial;

Comments by members included;

·       Concerns that there were no legal definition for what a farm was in planning terms;

·       Defra recognised this as a working farm and EC11 did apply;

·       Need to appreciate the aims of the development;

·       This application posed no harm to the community, nor would it set a precedent;

·       Ecological aspect could be conditioned;

·       Concerns with the un-native trees being planted;

·       What guarantee do we have that these glamping tents would only be for people with disabilities;

·       The development would create employment;

·       Concerns for the late request of an ecology report;

·       This was a sensitive development with minimal impact on the long standing condition of the ground that it will effect;

·       These were only temporary structures and we should be supporting tourism in the West Country;

Councillor Palmer proposed and Councillor Hassell seconded a motion for the application to be APPROVED against Officer recommendation, subject to the satisfactory resolution or the ecological matters that are set out in the report. Authority delegated to officers in consultation with the Chair and Vice-Chair to agree planning conditions once ecological matters are addressed;

Reason - The Committee were satisfied that the application was Farm Diversification and did not conflict with Policy EC11 of the adopted West Somerset Local Plan 2032.

The motion was carried.