Farm plans get green belt permission

DECISION: Councillors decided agriculture more important than conservation.

A farmer has been given permission to construct a large new grain store even though it will occupy a site on green belt land alongside a conservation area and will be visible alongside Listed buildings.

The new building will go up in a field alongside Hatfield Farm at Shireoaks, a location which straddles the boundary between Rotherham and Bassetlaw, with the farm itself sitting in the latter authority while the field alongside is technically in Rotherham.

As a result, planners from that authority had to decide whether to allow the development with the building measuring around 30 metres by 30 metres, although the impact would be mainly felt across the boundary in Bassetlaw, where the Shireoaks conservation area sits and where Listed buildings including a church, manor house, stables and gardens are present.

A planning meeting at Rotherham Council was told the plans had already been modified to try to reduce the impact of the building, with its position changed and external cladding now to be coloured green, with some hedge planting also proposed.

Councillors were told alternative sites on the farm had been investigated but discounted as unsuitable, for reasons including susceptibility to flooding.

Coun Bob Walsh said: “Grand country houses and country churches only got built because of agriculture. Farming is needed in the countryside. I think we have to approve this one.”