New farm business gains support

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Thursday, 5 March 2020 19:58

By Keri Trigg - Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to launch a new organic food enterprise and educational venture on a family farm have gained the support of councillors.

An application to construct a temporary workers’ dwelling at Abbey Farm in Ash, near Whitchurch, had been recommended for refusal by the case officer, but was instead defferred by Shropshire Council’s north planning committee after councillors said the business idea would bring benefits to its rural community.

The submitted plans said the proposal for a one-storey timber-clad home would allow the business owners to live on-site, to be able to tend to the animals at any time of the day or night.

The farm is owned by Beb Forster, and was a working dairy farm until the retirement of her late husband Peter. Beb still lives in the main farm house, and it was their daughter Becky who, along with her partner Michael Bain, had applied to build the home in order to launch their new business.

They want to return to dairy farming, producing organic glass-bottled milk to be delivered, along with their own free-range eggs, by an electric vehicle within a five-mile radius of the farm. Alongside this will be a programme of child and adult education.

Despite recognising the potential benefits of the business, planning officer  Richard Denison said it was not necessary for another agricultural workers’ dwelling on the farm, as well as the farm house. Council policy also states that a secondary workers’ dwelling should be a maximum of 100 square metres, which this application exceeded.

The application was supported by Councillor Garald Dakin, who represents Whitchurch South, and Whitchurch Rural Parish Council.

Applicant Michael Bain told the committee £35,000 had been invested in the business venture and he was confident of its success.

Councillor Mark Jones said: “I like this idea, and I think Greta Thunberg would probably like this idea too.

“Chicken sheds seem to be the main thrust of the farming industry at the moment, so it is good to see someone looking the other way.

“We have some of the best brains in Shropshire at Harper Adams University, and it would be nice to send a message to them that they could start something like this up at their own farms.”

Councillor Vince Hunt proposed deferring a decision to allow the applicant to produce revised plans which satisfied the floor space restriction.

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