Acorus has recently secured full planning permission for an extensive new Farm Shop and Café facility in the South West as a form of diversification to the conventional farming enterprise.
Our clients, who are the 4th generation to run their mixed arable, beef and sheep enterprise, originally started their retail venture by selling a variety of home-grown vegetables at the farm gate for consumers to purchase. Due to the success over the years, the offer expanded to a physical pole barn structure selling products on a small-scale, which has since expanded and become a hugely successful farm shop that had far outgrown its current spatial requirements.
Acorus was instructed to prepare a concept for a new farm shop facility which would enable the clients to run their enterprise in an efficient and sustainable way, whilst ensuring that relevant planning policy was met to allow planning permission to be granted.
This involved assessing a new location for the farm shop, in addition to preparing sketch elevations and plans to demonstrate how the proposal would meet our clients’ needs and objectives both now and in the longer term. The revised location was thoughtfully placed to ensure that no detriment to the local landscape would occur, in addition to ensuring that adequate space for access, parking, deliveries and manoeuvring was provided.
Acorus prepared and submitted a robust planning statement, and engaged with the Planning Officer throughout the determination process to ensure that any issues were addressed at an early stage. The application was approved subject to conditions, which were discussed with the Planning Officer to ensure that the conditions would not be detrimental to the operation of the Farm Shop or existing agricultural enterprise.
Our clients now have permission in place to develop a new Farm Shop and Café facility that will sell products grown and reared from their farm, in addition to showcasing local produce and offering a community facility for locals and visitors to enjoy.
Our clients and their local supporters are thrilled with the result!
If you are looking to diversify and would like to discuss your options, please do not hesitate to contact a member of our team.
