Lewes District Council planning officers decided that Class R permitted improvement rights can be used to transform a pair of agricultural barns at Middle Farm into 4 business models.
National planning guidelines enable such conversions to happen with no full planning utility, so long as the applicant first informs the related native authority of their proposals.
In this case, officers confirmed the proposals would fall inside permitted improvement rights and never give rise to any issues requiring more formal prior approval.
In the discover, a council planning spokesman stated: “The buildings are confirmed to be eligible agricultural buildings, not one of the exclusions set out inside Class R apply, and the cumulative floorspace proposed for conversion would stay beneath the 1,000 sq. metre threshold.
“In respect of the prior approval issues, the proposal wouldn’t give rise to unacceptable transport or freeway impacts, with East Sussex County Council Highways elevating no objection topic to the availability of auto and cycle parking.
“Given the location’s location adjoining to the A27, current combined business and agricultural actions at Middle Farm, and the separation from close by residential properties, the proposed versatile use is just not thought-about more likely to lead to dangerous noise impacts.
“Furthermore, there is no evidence of contamination that would warrant refusal, and the site is not located within an area at risk of flooding.”
The current Middle Farm website — situated on the northern facet of the A27 close to Firle — already accommodates a number of shops, a tea room and a specialist cider service provider.
The working farm additionally operates as a customer attraction, providing a lot of family-friendly actions.
For additional data see utility reference LW/26/0347 on the Lewes District Council web site.