Devon’s double Brit award-winning Ben Howard’s bid to create a “communal farm”, public football pitch, skate bowl, play area and a workshop for hire in the South Hams is set to be refused, writes Daniel Clark.

A planning application has been submitted for a change of use, renovation and extension of existing redundant farm buildings at The Yard in Bantham, near Kingsbridge.

But despite 358 of the 360 comments left on the application being in support of the scheme, South Hams District Council’s development management committee, when they meet next Wednesday, are being recommended to refuse the plans for the three acres of derelict land that Mr Howard owns.

Planning officers say that the site is located in an unsustainable location in the open countryside away from settlements, would not conserve and enhance the special landscape qualities of the AONB, does not avoid incongruous development and additional trips by the car, is likely to generate an increase in pedestrian traffic on a highway lacking adequate footway, and would generate additional noise and be harmful to the residential amenities in their reasons for refusal.

Mr Howard, who was born in Bantham and grew up in Totnes, had received 358 letters of support for the application on the site next to Osbourne Farm. The plans state the vision is to create multi-purpose community facility including co-working hub with surfboard shaping workshop and ancillary cafe; replacement of existing equine sand school area with new five-a-side 4G football pitch; construction of new skate bowl and children’s adventure play facilities.

South West Farmer:

Ben Howard's plans for The Yard in Bantham

It also includes the creation of communal farm and proposed substantial landscape enhancement including construction of wildlife pond, planting of community orchard/tree nursery and wildflower meadow, associated landscape and ecological enhancement measures together with the upgrade and expansion of the existing car parking.

The communal farm will be for people to grow vegetables and cut flowers with a “dream to be off-grid by 2030”.

Comments in support included that it would be something that will benefit all ages of the community, particularly children and teenagers with Bantham desperately in need of such a facility, that the work space would be useful for the area, and the Yard is a great idea to bring together people in a fun, positive and productive way.

The only two objections raised concerns about the unsuitable location that can only be accessed by car, with one of them saying they were fully in support of the project had the location been different.

But despite the overwhelming support, planners say that they have to consider the ‘unusual’ proposals against the Local Plan policies, and that the proposal in this location is in an unsustainable location.

Read more: Rock star Ben Howard submits plans for communal farm in Devon

In their conclusion which recommends refusal, they add: “We recognise that there is a great deal of local public support for the proposal, some 358 letters of support have been submitted, and this amount of public support suggests that this sort of facility is greatly in demand by families living in the surrounding villages. The potential benefits to the local community, economy, children, families, the older generation have all been eloquently highlighted in the letters of support and it has to be acknowledged that there is a dearth of such facilities for people in rural areas.

“However officers are also of the view that something like this should be delivered through the Neighbourhood Plan process, such as in the Kingsbridge, Churchstow and West Alvington Neighbourhood Plan. It may also be possible to find a site which is more local to one of the villages so that walking and cycling can be better accommodated.

“The location of this site is too far away from any of the settlements to be considered to be in any way sustainable. The policy supporting the rural economy fails to override the in principle objection and in fact the proposal also fails to meet the relevant criteria in terms of the need to use a car to access the facilities and the impact on the environment. T

“It has been demonstrated that the proposal would impact negatively on the AONB landscape and would not conserve or enhance the special landscape qualities and it’s reliance on the use of the private car, the risk it presents in terms of young people attesting to walk or cycle along roads which do not adequately cater for walking or cycling, would have a detrimental impact on the residential amenities of the neighbouring dwellings

“The Bantham Road is narrow with only a few passing places and can already be gridlocked during holiday periods and adding traffic to this will exacerbate that situation and while some measures have been provided to add to the biodiversity of the site, this in no way ameliorates the impact of allowing a development such as this in an unsustainable location.”

“The strong local support for the proposal indicates that such facilities within the area are supported by a great many people, however as officers it is necessary to respond to the proposal based on the current development plan which must be the starting point for the consideration of applications and if proposals are against the Plan policies, which in this case the proposals are, and the development is not sustainable, then applications should be refused.”

When he put forward the application, Mr Howard said he had been inspired by small-scale farming projects in Cornwall and Ireland and that the truth of today’s modern working world in the countryside setting was that many young professionals work from home in isolation, to the detriment of community and also of creativity.

He added: “I think there is a great opportunity to create spaces where the interaction of ideas and the crossover of recreation and work can benefit everyone. If we can run a small scale business that provides those opportunities in a safe place then it will be a great success and there seems to be a great demand for the activities we are proposing,

The South Hams development management committee meets on Wednesday, September 9, to determine the fate of the application.