Plan unveiled to set up farm enterprises that could grow fruit and veg

Future Farms Steering Group wants to build three temporary rural enterprise buildings on land north of Wern Lane, near the village of Sarn to the northeast of Newtown.

The temporary homes would be there for a five year period and the proposal includes building an agricultural packing and machinery shed, alterations to existing access and associated works.

The site is currently part of the Powys County Farms portfolio.

Planning agent, Barrie Davies of Asbri planning ltd explained the proposal in a planning statement.

Mr Davies said: “The application site is flat, grazed pasture fields.

“The group has identified a suitable council owned farm that has potential to be re-purposed into three new horticultural enterprises which will increase the amount of locally grown, fresh, seasonal produce in the county.”

Mr Davies explains that Future Farms wants to explore a model of farming that divides large farms into smaller units that can each support separate but “complementary enterprises.”

The businesses need one and a half to two hectares of land capable of supporting market gardening or vegetable crops enterprises to be capable of being viable.

Mr Davies said: “There is very little infrastructure on the farm at present, therefore, significant investment is required to make the site functional for the growers to be able to run a successful horticultural enterprise.

“This application seeks to ensure that planning is achieved to facilitate the future businesses; this includes temporary accommodation for the growers, connections to mains water and electricity, fencing and hedging.

“It also requires the provision of a packing shed on-site which will move produce from the farm and to import and store inputs in to facilitate the ongoing operations.

“Whilst Wales, and Powys in particular, is well known for its agriculture and farming, there is surprisingly little fruit and vegetables grown across Wales which means that most of the fruit and vegetables that we consume are grown and sourced from elsewhere.”

All the buildings would be built in the south-eastern corner of the farm near to the existing house known as Wern Cottage.

Mr Davies said: “Locating the new buildings here is advantageous as they can be easily accessed from Wern lane, it is close to services including water mains, grid connections and it has a positive impact on ensuring the development lies close to existing properties and structures.”

He said that three “Nissen huts” would be used as temporary homes for the tenants to live on site.

Mr Davies explained they would need to be there for five years to give the tenants the necessary time to allow them to produce a “viable case” to build permanent homes there.

Mr Davies said: “The application will create a total of six employment opportunities whilst also supporting modern regenerative horticulture and creating a network of small-scale commercial farm.”

A decision on the application is expected by June 3.