Some Advice Please

[Bignor Farmer]

I’ll try and keep this as short as possible!

We submitted a planning application last year for 6 shepherds huts, camping for circa 12 tents and a part conversion of an ag building for facilities. Locals went crazy, we had well over 100 objections full of lies, over exaggerations etc etc. Planning was refused on some very weak points and I am appealing the decision.

We decided about 3 weeks ago (like many others) to offer some “28 day” camping at our existing museum/tourist attraction along with a Maize Maze that we are also trying. My wife has pulled all sorts of irons out of the fire to make it happen, it looks great, is loved by campers and meticulously ticks all of the COVID compliance boxes.
It is for 9 pitches only, well away from the village and we don’t accept groups.

Google Bignor Roman Villa, Bignor Farms Camping if you’re interested.

Yesterday it all kicked off again with locals marching onto the site, taking photos accusing us of making noise (ridiculous if you knew the village) and a big campaign is starting against us again.

I’m completely happy we’re fully compliant and reasonable but my wife is devastated as she has worked so hard to keep this away from the village and not offend anyone.

I want to get people to back off, perhaps with a solicitors letter but I’m not sure entirely on what grounds or how to get that across to everyone. I think I will consult my solicitor anyway but just after some collective wisdom on here as well.

Thanks in advance

 

[ploughman1963]

When it happens to you it is extremely upsetting and feels like you have just had the hardest kick to the guts tat youve ever had - my sympathys.
We (our business) were the subject of a vicious and untrue attack on Facebook by a malicious person - you feel like the whole world is collapsing and your life is over. Main thing is to remain calm - I would say dont engage with them - they will run out of steam in 2 to 3 days and in a week it will be old news. If they have trespassed on your land possibly mention it to the police?
Main thing I remember from our incident was the love and support we got from people and friends who supported us and stood up to be counted.

I hope it settles down for you.

 

[robs1]

Taking photos on private property without permission is unlawful AFAIK . If everything is in order their photos would support your case not theirs, we had issues with our local council who took some photos which they used in the public inquiry against us, we turned those photos against them as they supported our case not theirs.
Keep calm and use their stupidity against them. I know keeping calm is difficult as I would be ranting at them .
Their will be plenty of planning policies that support your plans, major on using those in your appeal and of course with covid, employment and business income will weigh heavily in your benefit and the environmental impact of uk holidays instead of flying etc.
Planning is a game you just need to know the rules, we learnt them but it can cost money.

 

[som farmer]

it's the 'nimby' brigade, with their noses in the air, or up their rear ends ! They will never be satisfied, the more you do, to meet their 'demands', the more they will want. Work with the planners, and ignore them. Dad used to say, 'you can fall out with them, nicely, in the beginning, or nastily in the end !' Advice, that has proved itself correct, many, many times. Here, we had 1 lady, going around every house ( selected) with a preprinted letter of objection ! As above, we are currently being harassed, on a different subject, and the police, solicitors look likely to be involved. Always, inform the police, of anything 'nasty', while they will ignore initially, once they have multiple complaints, they will act. It's a very difficult subject, to give advice on, as many of these, 'objectors' are in the correct 'job' to know how to 'play' the system ! Perhaps, the old saying, give an inch, they will take a yard, is apt ! But, keep plodding on, best of luck, look to your friends, for moral support, and don't let the buggers beat you !

 

[milkloss]

They're scared. One of the best ways of solving one particular fear is to create an even more scary thing, like a small plot near the biggest stirrer with a temporary fence around it and a for sale sign on it.

 

[Bignor Farmer]

I’m quite happy to dig my heels in and I’m confident we’ll get our full PP at appeal. If not I’ll alter it and submit a new plan, they’ve got my back up now so it’ll be one application after another now.

The problem is that it really upsets Lisa who is desperate not to upset anyone.

Just for amusement really, some of our PP objections;
- Robbery and desecration of the church
- All night stag parties
- Won’t be able to prevent child abuse
- I make so much money from farming etc etc

 

[delilah]

I have said this before on a planning post, and got told I was mad, but will say it again anyway. The best way to do planning is to be proactive and invite the parish council to come to the farm and have a guided tour to explain your ideas, before even putting an application in.

 

[som farmer]

I have said this before on a planning post, and got told I was mad, but will say it again anyway. The best way to do planning is to be proactive and invite the parish council to come to the farm and have a guided tour to explain your ideas, before even putting an application in.

around us, that would be the worst thing you could do, they want nothing more than to get rid of farmers, for, muddy roads, and big modern machinery, to the extent pc have formerly written to me, telling me, to limit use of machinery over a certain size, and restrict the hours of use ! When i have tried to be pro-active, their 'views' are nowhere near mine, and have made 'public relations' worse !! I do enjoy, letting the cows, across the road, if looks could kill.........
just to complete, you are mad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no offence mean't.

 

[Bignor Farmer]

I have said this before on a planning post, and got told I was mad, but will say it again anyway. The best way to do planning is to be proactive and invite the parish council to come to the farm and have a guided tour to explain your ideas, before even putting an application in.

There’s a bit of history to this!

About 8 years ago we (along with National Trust LL) legally felled a number of Yew trees as part of an HLS scheme. I was invited to say a few words at the parish meeting to tell people about the scheme.
When I got there it was a dedicated meeting with local press and for the first 20 minutes I had to sit through a barrage of abuse and “I demand to know....” before I was allowed to speak. It was effectively a lynch mob and public flogging.

I was asked to do the same with my PP but refused because of the above. I did however repeatedly offer to meet every single person on site to show them around and chat about what we’re trying to do. I Only met 2 members of the parish council, had a friendly constructive meeting, twisted the next week in all the objection letters. Everyone accuses me of not being willing to consult because I didn’t want another public beasting!

 

[Bignor Farmer]

around us, that would be the worst thing you could do, they want nothing more than to get rid of farmers, for, muddy roads, and big modern machinery, to the extent pc have formerly written to me, telling me, to limit use of machinery over a certain size, and restrict the hours of use ! When i have tried to be pro-active, their 'views' are nowhere near mine, and have made 'public relations' worse !! I do enjoy, letting the cows, across the road, if looks could kill.........
just to complete, you are mad !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! no offence mean't.

I can certainly agree with this!

 

[delilah]

None of that has dissuaded me from my view. You invite the elected parish council (not any ginger groups), and you keep inviting them for as many meetings as it takes. On your land, on your terms, not in a village hall.
You catch more flies with sugar than vinegar.

 

[som farmer]

nimby's want nothing to change, or worse, to go back to an idyllic picture book time. We all know that can never happen. Most are driven by jealousy, they cannot bear to see progress and modernization. Currently, opposition is greater, some caused by covid - time, the other monetary, with interest rate so low, their investments, are not topping up their incomes, so, are just like us, asset rich, cash poor !

 

[som farmer]

None of that has dissuaded me from my view. You invite the elected parish council (not any ginger groups), and you keep inviting them for as many meetings as it takes. On your land, on your terms, not in a village hall.
You catch more flies with sugar than vinegar.

their views are set in stone, before any meeting, been there, got the T-shirt, the last time, an application, for a small meat cutting/packing room, was described after the meeting, by the pc, as the start of building a large abattoir, and that stirred every thing up, right down to EA, trading standards etc !

 

[Bignor Farmer]

their views are set in stone, before any meeting, been there, got the T-shirt, the last time, an application, for a small meat cutting/packing room, was described after the meeting, by the pc, as the start of building a large abattoir, and that stirred every thing up, right down to EA, trading standards etc !

Same in my case, they don’t want to be informed and persuaded, they want to stand/hide in a big group and throw rocks

 

[Jon@BMG]

If people started to think out of the box, brilliant minded people like your wife are bringing money and jobs to the local community. She should be praised. Yes you will have occasions when things go a little wild and it gets noisy, but you will manage it. I think your neighbours need to decide, farming with diversification or build 100's of houses with even more disruption.

Is there one person who is leading the campaign against you? Can you meet them, and explain it all to them? Do you need to hold an event for the community?

 

[Ffermer Bach]

good luck with it all, I can't really offer any advice, but hope you and your wife are ok. Roman Villa looks interesting by the way.

 

[Bignor Farmer]

If people started to think out of the box, brilliant minded people like your wife are bringing money and jobs to the local community. She should be praised. Yes you will have occasions when things go a little wild and it gets noisy, but you will manage it. I think your neighbours need to decide, farming with diversification or build 100's of houses with even more disruption.

Is there one person who is leading the campaign against you? Can you meet them, and explain it all to them? Do you need to hold an event for the community?

Unfortunately we’re in the middle of a very “posh” village in the South East. Property values are unbelievable and everyone seems to think that they’ve bought into something special and don’t want to share it.
It’s not just me, the next village seem intent on tearing the community to pieces over each other’s planning applications too. Sad really.

 

[Bignor Farmer]

good luck with it all, I can't really offer any advice, but hope you and your wife are ok. Roman Villa looks interesting by the way.

We’re very lucky to have a unique family heirloom although it is a challenge to keep its head above water!

What’s really strange is that we’ve been open to the public for over 200 years, the roads were improved specifically to accommodate visitor traffic and we have around 100 coaches of school children visit every year. We also have around 150 artic lorries come into the village to the farm each year and nobody really notices them or has ever complained about them but somehow 9 tents is unacceptable!

 

[som farmer]

40 years (?) a roman villa was excavated, can't fully remember the result, except had a fantastic mosaic floor, filled in. Fast forward to now, that estate has been bought, by a mega rich man, who is spending millions, to turn it into, a themed park/hotel for the ultra mega rich. To start, he covered the site, with a new steel barn, then replaced that barn, with a bigger one ! Applied for p/p to rebuild the villa, refused, then applied for p/p to build a replica, adjacent to the original, granted. This replica, is 3 stories high, about 30/40 meters long ! In the middle of nowhere ! How the hell he got p/p, no idea, however, his application, to move the A371, was refused, as was his tunneling it, but they have let him, put a tunnel under. Local farm/land, £14500/acre start ! The money, being spent, is mind boggling, you can look it up, on the web, 'the newt', or emily estate.

 

[Still Farming]

Ok tell them you have won and we are selling to the TRAVELLERS who are desperate to buy it and what to keep free range pigs on it!