[HappyHippy]

Wow, you must be so excited ! Great news Scotelf 
On the planning side - if you can show, not only, that you'll be running a viable business but that you'll be creating jobs or boosting the local economy that will win brownie points with the planners. We tried for 4 years to get PP to build a house on my dad's land (converting an existing building that was in dis-repair) but they were having none of it If you haven't already, get a business plan drawn up (business gateway are a good source of help) and be prepared for battle I suppose it depends where you are, but the planners in South Lanarkshire aren't the most helpfull or forthcoming with information, hope yours are better !
Good luck & keep us posted, when you can
Karen x

[ellied]

Exciting!  That's my ideal next step too, if I can find the right land in the right place soon enough to still have a bit of savings in the bank!

Keep us updated as you get on, I'll learn from your story I'm sure and enjoy your adventures.  Where is your land - Fife is notoriously difficult to get planning but I'm hoping to move centrally/west...

[scotelf]

Don't want to say too much about location as no doubt the planners will visit me eventually, but the longer I can hold them off the better...IYKWIM

Within easy driving distance of lanark market is all I'll say!

So HappyHippy I don't expect it will be much easier for me either. Why do they make it so difficult to carry out agricultural practices on agricultural land???

ellied - We've been looking for land for well over a year, and the piece we've bought isn't perfect, but it's ours and it's a start. I hope you find something that suits you too.

[doganjo]

Hope you have more success with the planners in Lanark than my friend - they have told her she has enough points for .7 of a person to live on her farm.  She lives 5 miles away and a couple of years ago found one of her pigs in a distressed state having been butchered alive (culprit was scared off and vet drove like stink to put it out of its misery)- but they didn't think that was enough for her to be needed to live with her animals!  Little tin gods all of them!