War veteran rebuilds life as council backs family home bid

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

An Afghan war veteran who has rebuilt his life after suffering life-changing injuries says he was inspired by the support given by Welsh councillors for his business.

Shaun Stocker had submitted a retrospective application for a lodge – a mobile home – at Moss Bank Farm where he operates holiday lets with his partner Amy Lloyd.

The lodge is easily accessible for Shaun and allows him to be on hand to manage the business.

In 2010, aged 19, Shaun stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while serving with the Royal Welsh regiment – formerly the Royal Welch Fusiliers. The incident rendered him blind, in need of two prosthetic legs and with complex post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Since then he has established a new life for himself, supporting charities, giving motivational speeches and building a family.

Using compensation from his discharge he purchased Moss Bank Farm in Borras and has invested in turning it into a small collection of holiday lets.

But the lodge his family lives in is technically within the mineral buffer zone for Borras Quarry.

As a result Wrexham County Borough Council planning officers said his family could no longer live on the site – recommending a two-year planning approval to give Shaun and his family time to find alternative accommodation or move into one of the holiday lets.

Proposal rejected

Last week councillors rejected that proposal, instead invoking the Armed Forces Covenant the authority has signed up to. This enabled them to grant permission for Shaun, Amy and their family to live on the site permanently, with their lodge to be removed and the land restored once they are no longer living there.

“We are delighted with the result from the planning meeting,” said Shaun and Amy in a statement. “We witnessed strong support from the Wrexham Planning Committee and other members of the local authority. Their decision was made in line with planning policy and the Armed Forces Covenant.

“It was both inspiring and humbling to be present. We would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported us throughout the process.

“We now look forward to a bright future together as a family.”

One of the leading voices in support of Shaun’s application was Wrexham’s Armed Forces Champion Cllr Beverley Parry-Jones.

“I believe this is an exceptional case that requires us to look beyond the standard planning balance and uphold the commitments we, as an authority, have already made to our Armed Forces community,” she said.

“Members will be aware that this council signed the Armed Forces Covenant back in 2013. This signature was not symbolic. It is a commitment that those who serve or have served and their families will be treated fairly and will not be disadvantaged because of their service.

“Ombudsman decisions have already made clear that failure to properly consider the covenant can amount to maladministration. Crucially, the covenant states special provision may be justified for those who have sacrificed the most. Mr Stocker falls squarely within that category.

“This is not a routine planning case. Mr Stocker is a severely injured veteran. Despite unimaginable challenges he has shown remarkable resilience. He has rebuilt his life, redeveloped a derelict farm and created a small rural enterprise that provides income for his family and contributes to the local economy.

Mobile home

“The mobile home allows him to live safely on-site, close to the support he needs. The officer report suggests that he could move into one of the existing holiday units, but doing so would remove a vital source of income for a family already living with the long‑term consequences of catastrophic injury.

“It would also reduce the applicant’s independence and compromise the operational running of the business that he has worked so hard to build. This is not simply a matter of convenience. It is a matter of dignity, safety and long‑term well‑being for the applicant and his family.”

Her support was echoed by Wrexham Council leader Cllr Mark Pritchard who said: “I always feel that we as elected members have to be caring, compassionate and considerate.

“The Armed Forces Covenant is not something that you can just sign. You’re committed to it, you’re dedicated to it. It means something.

“We are very fortunate as politicians to sit here in a democratic process in this country because of the Armed Forces. They fight for our rights to have a voice. Long may that continue.

“We have an Armed Forces veteran who has put a planning application in. He and his family might never come and ask this council for anything again, but they’re sitting here this evening asking for help and support. And I hope you can find the courage to support them.

“If you’re going to grant it, grant it. I think Shaun and his family have had enough anxiety and worry without having to come back in two years’ time to revisit this.”

Planning committee chose to grant permission allowing the lodge to remain on-site as long as Shaun and Amy live there.