Residents in the Wiltshire hamlet of Netherstreet, near Bromham, have accused the local council of allowing 'development by stealth' after planning officers granted permission for the conversion of two agricultural barns on Moorhouse Farm into commercial units, bypassing a public committee vote.
Prior approval process sidesteps public committee
The Crown Estate, a public corporation managing assets on behalf of the Crown, applied last year for permission to convert two barns at Moorhouse Farm for what it described as 'flexible commercial use.' The application was processed under the prior approval system, which allows certain changes of use without full planning permission, provided specific criteria are met.
Residents, supported by Bromham Parish Council, opposed the application due to concerns over increased traffic, noise, and the impact on the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, located a mile to the east. A public meeting drew around 100 residents, and 29 letters of objection were submitted to the council.
Action group members even wrote to the King about their concerns. They were initially relieved when Cllr Laura Mayes, the ward councillor for Bromham, 'called in' the application, which would have required a decision by councillors in a public forum. However, Cllr Mayes was told that because the site had been approved via the prior approval process, there were no planning grounds for the application to be heard at a planning committee.
Residents' traffic survey ignored
Planning officers granted permission in June for the conversion of two of the five barns on the farm for 'storage and distribution' purposes. Residents say they only learned of the decision in recent weeks.
Mike White, a former town councillor and chairman of the planning committee on the former North Wilts District Council, and a member of the action group, said: 'There has been no public scrutiny and no public vote.'
Stephen Durant, another action group member, said residents had conducted their own traffic survey, which showed twice as many cars driving through the hamlet as the official report suggested. 'Our traffic survey has never been acknowledged, and Wiltshire Council refuses to do its own traffic survey,' he said.
A survey by traffic consultants for The Crown Estate found the road to be four metres wide, and sometimes as narrow as 3.7 metres. The average HGV is 2.6 metres wide. As part of the planning approval, the applicants were instructed to create two passing places on the mile-long road.
Crown Estate plans further development
The Crown Estate told locals it wanted to convert a total of five barns on the farm, the tenancy of which was relinquished when the third-generation farmer retired. Their plans also include the renovation of the old farmhouse and the provision of 35 parking spaces around the former farmyard.
Mr White said: 'We want the development to be used by small rural businesses. Something in keeping with its rural setting.'
A spokesperson for The Crown Estate said: 'We have received approval under permitted development rights for the change of use of two agricultural barns at Moorhouse Farm to flexible commercial use. We are currently reviewing future options for the remaining buildings on the site. The former farmhouse is being refurbished and will remain in residential use as a single dwelling. We expect the works to the farmhouse to be completed later this year.'
