A national planning appeal has recently ruled in favour of building up to 33 new homes on high-quality agricultural land in southern England, partly because there is no prospect of any crop growing occurring there.
National planning inspector Benjamin Webb said: "I have been provided with no reason to believe that cultivation of the site would be likely ... Whilst this does not in itself justify the loss of the land, it does act to reduce the level of environmental and economic harm that would be caused by its development."
This ruling means that, when similar planning applications to build on agricultural land are considered, lack of crop growing can be used to help shift the balance of harms and benefits towards giving consent.
If you'd like advice on or help with getting the planning permission you want, then you can contact us by emailing info@planix.uk or phoning us on 0845 170 8050.
