Green light for farm expansion

ADDITIONS to a farm shop in the countryside zone between Churston and Brixham have been approved by Torbay Council even though the plan breaches rural protection policies.

Farmer Richard Haddock wanted to spend £250,000 to add a garden centre, coffee shop, toilets and three poly-tunnels to the Churston Farm Shop, on Churston Court Farm, Brixham Road.

Planning councillors gave it the thumbs up seven to one against an officer recommendation to stay with countryside protection policies.

As the planning vote overturned those policies, the final say lay with the full council which finally agreed 18 to four to support the plan.

After the decision Mr Haddock said: “I am very pleased but the time it has taken has caused me concern as the financial conditions in the country have changed.

“We are not a subsidised business but the plan will still go ahead. We hope to start in the next three to four months to be open for next spring, although we had hoped to open this year.”

He is also giving the land to turn a mile and a half footpath, between the site and Brixham, into a surfaced and fenced cycle track with disabled parking.

“We are doing the work in cost and kind and are quite pleased with that arrangement.”

Objectors were concerned the farm shop decision set a precedent for the site which was now being exploited and with five garden centres within four miles, there was no commercial need for another.

Planning chief Les Crump said conditions could restrict sales to plants only and exclude machinery and conservatories.

“This also needs approval from the Government Office of the South West as it is a departure from planning policies but I am not expecting them to call this in,” he said.

Objector Brian Taylor said the go-ahead would mean over intensification of the site and added: “Allowing this application sends the wrong message to developers. Please support your officers.”

Mr Haddock said he was responding to pleas for the extra services by his customers as most farm shops in the area have similar facilities, and the proposal plan had been approved 7:1 at the planning committee.

Cllr Peter Addis, in support of the plan, said: “There is a park and ride, a go-kart track and Cayman Golf on that road, so it is hardly the heart of the countryside.”

Cllr Steve Darling, against the plan, said the council goes against Local Plan policies at its peril and added: “It is another step down the slippery slope of changing that part of Torbay and goes against the Local Plan.”