[sanman]

Hi Roxy

Yes its Green Belt, but in terms of agricultural use I think the green belt status of the land is irrelevant.  We have had a neighbour complain, he also complained about school children planting apple trees in the park 

[Roxy]

even if a neighbour has complained, for whatever reason, it has to be justified ... they have to have valid reasons for their complaint surely.  I know there are now issues relating to what you will do with manure from your animals, siting of muck heaps etc.....

You need to find out exactly what the problem is, and hopefully work with the council to sort things out.  I have noticed a lot of retrospecitve planning applications in our area, when people have put up field shelters etc, and then been reported.  It seems some people have nothing better to do than comlain about things.

I do hope you have a good outcome to your problem.

[shetlandpaul]

so its now against the rules to keep animals on a farm in the greenbelt. what a load of manure. would they prefer it to be a bit of waste land.

[carl]

You know what they say,"the devil is in the detail". officer opinions only? he has also jumped from what you are doing to being concerned about what you might do. Is there a difference between a smallholding and a farm?
Have you asked him what you can do, rather than him guess what you might do and get his planners knickers in a twist. Who has pushed his buttons? As a guess I would think your neighbour conflict has something to do with it. Ask heeley city farm if they have had any issues? I will pass all this info onto my wife and my friend rob who is in the same department. not saying they have the time to do anything right now, but maybe point you in the direction of someone who can.

[sanman]

Well we met the planning officer.  We no longer need planning permission for the pig arcs, poultry houses or fencing, surprise surprise.

He wants to check case law on the field shelter.  This is a timber shelter on skids with towing points.  I've pointed out that it has no foundation and can be moved and that twice now planning officers have advised that PP isn't required.

I think commonsense has prevailed, we should get his decision by next Wednesday.

[carl]

common sense at last from a planning officer. dialogue usually helps resolve most things. did he come and see for himself, before or after his letter?
field shelters are usually allowed in most circumstances, and can often be a way of providing shelter for all sorts of stuff, not just horses. have you noticed the field shetler further down loxley road with horses one side and logs the other.

[oaklandspigs]

Really pleased to hear that it looks like being resolved .

The real shame is that officials feel the need to write letters in such threatening tone, causing people who are persuing legitimate activities much anguish, particularly since the letter makes several adamant statements that are wrong.

[little blue]

So glad it seems to be resolved.  What a pity all this came after HFW's visit - you could have had celebrity support....

[sanman]

We've now been notified that complaints have been made to the Animal Control Officer  and environmental health, due to the open day that we held I have a meeting with the environmental health officer on Monday.

Allegations have been made regarding infectious disease control and children being allowed in the pig pens.  Interestingly enough, all visitors to the farm had to work across a mat with Defra approved disinfectant.  We had notices all round the animals pens requesting that people didn't feed the animals and each animal pen had at least one NHS approved hand sanitiser.  We also provided hand washing facilities at a nearby, community building.

All these complaints are from two individuals - we are keeping a log of this and its likely we will pursue an injunction against them for harassment 

The joys of sharing your smallholding with the wider community     

[little blue]

[Roxy]

Am I right in assuming that the complainants were at your open day?  It sounds to me like you took all the necessary precautions that are needed nowadays when allowing the public access to your livestock.

Pleased you have sorted out your planning issues.  As to the field shelter, as I understand it from our planning people, you have to be able to prove the shelter can be moved, if requested to do so.  And there must not be a solid floor, or concrete frontage to the field shelter.  I know our council do not like these shelters, but doubt there is much they can do, as they are not permanent buidlings.

[Hilarysmum]

Why oh why oh why wont these so called do gooders go find some one who is in dire need of reporting for animal abuse or cruelty, rather than wind themselves up about someone who is actually doing something good in the community and encouraging decent animal husbandry. 

You are very unlucky with your neighbours!!!!

[carl]

It sounds like the complainants are getting a bit obsessive, if it is the same ones. it must be making them ill, all this worrying about living near the countryside, what with wild birds being allowed to fly over their gardens and poo. do they insist on the postman crossing a bio security mat when delivering their mail, which then has to be quarantined? i am becoming concerned for their mental wellbeing, poor souls. By any chance was it the couple who came to the open day with a dog, ignored all the goings on except to mutter, took the dog across the field near to the bees, where it had a motion( they did bag it), they then walked back through and bu*****d off. keep focussed on the bigger picture and these tiny minded little nimbys will self implode in a mass of bile. i hope it's lyndsay from environmental health, she will sort it out.( get the council to send the complainants a bill for all the time spent sorting out their paranoid follies). keep the faith, these times will pass soon and common sense will prevail.

[sanman]

Hi Carl

Lyndsay has already visited - outcome, she doen't need to see us for another 5 years!!

We know that we are doing everything right, the risk assessment for the open day was huge!!

We have sent an email to our local authority asking them if any other council departments would like to attend the farm and inspect us so we can get it all out of the way.  What's really funny is that we had a small grant from our council to set up and we have had meetings with one of the council departments who would like to get people with physical and educational disabilities involved with the project.

We are not a huge concern, 9 pigs, 7 chickens, 8 ducks, 29 turkeys, 4 beehives and an acre of veg on a 6.5 acre field can hardly be described as intensive farming.

[carl]

In business i have found that when things are quiet, ie in recessions, we get more intensive visits from hse etc, as they have less people to visit and have to appear to keep busy or their jobs may be cut. you just have to comply and keep going forward. you are all intelligent people with good common sense, you will naturally do things in a safe and sensible manner. they will notice that straight away and once the novelty of having a new kid in the playground to show off to has gone they should only pop up on a helpful basis. these things are sent to try us and what does not kill us makes us stronger. i have had a year of things going a bit wrong, but it just helps confirm your belief in your own strengths and more determined to keep going towards what you want to acheive.  maybe nil not a huge agricultural concern, but very important to everyone concerned. in a few weeks, when you taste the pork,the turkey and the veg, together on the xmas table you wil know you have done a very good thing. nil carberundum illigitimii, as my grandad used to say.