Family want to build 'hobby farm' on green belt land which was 'colonised by rats'

Calderdale planning councillors backed planning officers’ recommendation to refuse Dr Samir Khan permission to put up an agricultural building for storage and livestock at Woodfield House, Halifax Road, Hipperholme.

They heard from the applicant’s agent Jo Steel that the family had, after buying the field in 2010, transformed the land on which it would be placed more than a decade from an overgrown site blighted by fly-tipping and colonised by rats into an attractive space.

With three generations of the family occupying Woodfield House, they wanted to use the field to become more self-sufficient. At present they had chickens but the land had capacity for 20 ewes and 30 lambs and more, he said.

Tractors and 4×4 vehicles which would be used to service the site would be able to cope with the gradient – access was a concern of planning officers – said Mr Steel. He added the size of the building had been remodelled and was 40 per cent smaller than in a previous, refused, application.

But planning officers said their concern was the proposal would be inappropriate development in the green belt as it would be for domestic rather than agricultural – which otherwise might have demonstrated special circumstances – use.

Coun Colin Hutchinson said while it was now an attractive, lovely site which councillors had visited, he thought officers had got the balance right.

“It would be inappropriate development within green belt for what is essentially a hobby farm,” he said.

Officers were also concerned about the impact the scale of the proposed building would have on the openness of the green belt and the special landscape area the property is in. One letter of objection had been received.

Ward councillors differed on their opinions on the plans, with Coun Joe Atkinson saying this application reduced the size of the building and steps had been taken to address concerns.

However Coun George Robinson was worried about poor access and impact on the green belt.