Welsh farmer could be forced by council to change colour of shop

Twm Owen – Local democracy reporter

A farmer given permission to use a shipping container as a shop and village meeting place could have to change its colour. 

Laura Pollock will use a converted shipping container as a farm shop selling meat from her Lower House Farm, and items such as milk, butter and cheese from other local producers, as well as providing a self-service coffee machine so villagers in Llanfair Discoed have somewhere to meet up. 

Ms Pollock has said she intends using a very light brown colour for the container, in keeping with her logo and branding of trailers used for events.

‘Neutral’

She described the colour “as neutral enough to be in keeping with the surroundings” and it would “look good with wood and greenery” planned to surround the farm shop. 

Monmouthshire County Council took more than two months to consider the application which was eventually approved by its delegated planning panel in December.

The panel had to determine the application as Caerwent Community Council requested the container be fitted with cladding to be “in keeping with the local area”. 

Character

The county council’s own planning department described the three metre high container as “very small” and noted it would be surrounded by “much larger” agricultural buildings and its location wouldn’t result in “any adverse impact upon the landscape/landscape character of the area.” 

Officers didn’t consider cladding necessary but the delegated panel imposed a condition on the colour due to the local council’s comments.

Planning officer Kate Young has since emailed Ms Pollock and said her chosen colour “may be to (sic) light” and instead suggested “dark green or black”. 

In her original application Ms Pollock said the shop would open from 7am to 8pm with the late opening intended to encourage community use. 

Her application stated: “We would like to be able to leave it open into early evening to encourage local people to make use of it, ideally on foot, as required rather than getting into their cars and driving to other shops to pick up items required urgently.” 

‘Appropriate’

Planners said they had to consider the council’s retail policies which state shops should be located in main towns and central shopping areas before out-of-town sites are considered but as a farm shop the location is “appropriate”. 

Ms Young stated in her report: “The proposed shop is so small that it will not offer competition to existing retail centres and will not adversely affect the vitality and viability of established town centres.” 

The shop isn’t expected to create any new jobs but will help the support the farm and, Ms Young noted, “provide some community benefit.” 

Welsh planning policy states shops provided with other uses, such as farm shops or petrol stations, “can serve a useful role in rural areas by providing new sources of jobs and services” but their impact on retail centres or village shops, whether year round use is desirable and the impact on traffic and parking arrangements have to be considered. 

Support

The report noted there is no village shop in Llanfair Discoed and residents either drive to get groceries or rely on deliveries.

It was also considered the shop is sustainable as it will support the village and a right of way running through the farmyard could be used by people walking or cycling, with cycle racks to be provided. 

There were no objections from the highways department and there will be 12 parking spaces on the farmyard. 

The shop will also reduce “food miles” by selling local produce.