Farmer set to be ordered to remove caravan, sheds and half a car from his farm in planning row

Alex Seabrook, local democracy reporter

A farmer is set to be ordered to remove a caravan, sheds and half a car from his paddock in a planning row.

Planning officers at Vale of Glamorgan council are seeking approval to take enforcement action at Rose Paddock, north of Peterston-super-Ely.

They allege several structures were built there without planning permission, and the land is also being used to store large items without permission.

Councillors on the planning committee are due to vote on January 26 whether to approve retrospective permission, or refuse permission and let officers take enforcement action.

The 1.4-hectare field is mostly used for keeping horses and chickens. The farmer claimed he also keeps 10 sheep there, but planning officers doubt this and couldn’t find any sheep when visiting the site.

‘Demolition’ 

Planning officers are hoping to order the demolition of a store building, two timber sheds, and a sheep shelter; and the removal of a caravan, wood pallets, shipping container, several trailers, half a Volkswagen Beetle and football goal posts — none of which have permission.

A report to the planning committee gave details of the site and the concerns of officers.

It said: “The steel shipping container appears as an alien addition to this rural field and is considered to be wholly inappropriate. The caravan is not justified and its permanent siting would detract from the rural character.

“Policies are restrictive of what should be allowed in the countryside, to protect distinctive rural character from unacceptable and unjustified new development. The visual impact and the urbanising effect on the countryside are considered to be demonstrably harmful to the appearance and character of the immediate surroundings and the wider countryside setting.”

The applicant told the council he tends to the land and animals during the day, and uses the caravan to get changed and to take breaks. More details of the row should become clear after the planning committee meets on Wednesday, January 26.