The Planning Application for Yarlington Manor Farm is Imminent!
This week, Yarlington residents received a letter from Paul Rawson advising that Emily Estate will shortly submit a planning application to build a new farm on the Black Eight Acres site.
We are implacably opposed to this.
The new farm would be on a green field site, in the middle of an area designated “a much-cherished view” in our Neighbourhood Plan. The planned development would destroy this.
Emily Estate has made many planning applications over the years, which have caused varying amounts of controversy, but this is the first to propose a new development on pristine farmland. Mr Rawson’s reasons for doing it are, at best, disingenuous.
- He states that Yarlington Manor Farm (YMF) is not fit for purpose and there is no other way to service the milking herd of buffalo. This is simply not true, for the following reasons:
- Independent agricultural experts are of the opinion that YMF is fit for purpose and could easily accommodate the facilities Emily Estate require.
- In addition, Castle Cary Manor Farm could also provide the facilities required, and indeed ought to be required to be used in conjunction with YMF.
- The bridge over the A359 was originally given consent to join different parts of the estate – which would include these two farms.
- Mr Rawson suggests that the new proposal is required to reduce traffic through Yarlington village, but
- The proposed farm is only a few hundred yards from YMF, so traffic can still be diverted from Yarlington if they so wish.
- Mr Rawson states that the new farm would be far from neighbours and barely visible from the villages but
- This ignores the fact that it is a fine piece of unspoilt countryside.
- Footpaths and public bridleways run along three sides of the field. A new farm would destroy the bucolic charm of the countryside walks.
- Mr Rawson states the farm would include planting that would link up existing hedgerows and pockets of habitat. Emily Estate’s credentials in preserving habitat are not strong:
- They have previously ripped out large parts of hedgerow close to site, along the Monarch’s way, leaving a large open area of grassland where once were hedgerows and trees.
- Further stretches of hedgerow have been removed in the construction of their farm tracks.
- In other areas, dry stone walls have replaced hedgerows.
- Mr Rawson refers to the survey of Yarlington residents to support the plan to re-develop YMF into five residential properties, but he omits to mention some crucial findings of the survey which were:
- Most respondents preferred the farm to remain on its current site, with the priority being to reduce traffic through the village.
- If the farm was moved, the highest concerns were: further development of the farm; loss of the protected views; and the environmental impact of the concrete required.
We have consulted widely on these matters and are confident we can make a strong case in opposition to Emily Estate’s proposals and will hope to have the active support of a large section of the community.
Mr Rawson references the use of regenerative farming practices. It is difficult to see how these proposals support regenerative farming, which ought to be working with the land, restoring it, rather than burying it under thousands of tons of concrete.
Stop The Farm
Black Eight
