We have been having a long standing battle for Agricultural buildings, a mobile home (temporary and permenant), Cattle shed, lambing and calving sheds, agricultural livestock stables, etc...
We are on 6 acres and farm 200 in a ten mile radius. We farm cattle x 30, sheep x 70, pigs x 3 breeding sows, 2 breeding goats, 6 castrated goats, 40 chickens, 3 geese and 15 ducks. 3 horses
We have proposed a commercial calf rearing business on site, however due to the lack of planning for a calf rearing shed, we can not bring them on site until we can keep them clean and dry.
We are a traditional livestock farm raising livestock for food in the old fashioned way. We sell stock and meat.
We also are a care farm, taking children and adults with mental health and Special educational needs to allow them a place to learn about farming whilst connecting with the animals and outdoors.
We changed the use of the land to the keeping of horses and a Neet educational facility. We did not remove the agriculture from site, the livestock were retained within the planning documents.
We have had a cattle barn approved on appeal, we have been given 3 years temporary on modular polytunnels for lambing and calving ( the buildings have been up and used for 5 years but refused planning twice before). We have agriculture on site.
We were refused the caravan in January, we have lived in it for 5 years and refused planning 4 times before, all for different reasons. We have asked for temporary, then permenant and now the refusal in January was for temporary however, they assessed it on permenant.
They did observe that we had seasonal use for lambing and calving.
We did ask for seasonal use the day after refusal and told the council that we were calving until May and Lambing until June. We also informed them that we will be appealing their refusal of the caravan and the other agricultural buildings. The 6 months are up in June, we are nearly ready to apply to the Sec. of State, but are waiting for up to date accounts. We made a profit each year, not up to £17k last year , but close.
Today, we were served an enforcement notice on the caravan.
My question
1. can they enforce whilst a) we are under seasonal use and b) we have told them we are going to appeal and the time is not up until June.
Sorry for the long post, I hope it makes sense.
Oh by the way, I have an Agricultural Planning Consultant and a Town Planner both believe we are entitled to planning permission.
