Sharnfold Farm housing plan will lead to job losses

A second planning application has been submitted for Sharnfold Farm.

I object to this application which is asset stripping. Part of an attempt to destroy the successful award winning agricultural farm shop and pick your own fruit and vegetable business which is a major tourist attraction. The owner’s Hop Farm Real Estate Limited have also submitted a screening opinion to build 400 houses on the farm land.

This application will lead to a net loss of jobs in the area. Existing businesses which relocate their employees from elsewhere to the small number of work units on the farmyard site will not be creating new jobs.

Destruction of this successful farm business will mean a permanent reduction in the number of those important local jobs on site.

The Local Government Association has stated that there are one million building plots with planning permission in this country which have not been built. So extra development is not needed.

These agricultural buildings are not redundant.

The farm buildings are integral to sustainable food production on the site and maximising tourist visits and income. Families love visiting through the year to see the crops grow, watch the animals and tractors and pick their own strawberries, they learn about food and farming.

They increase the income of the farm shop and cafe. Thousands of tourists who stay in the area normally visit every year. The buildings are used for storage of vegetable and fruit produce , essential farm machinery and animal housing.

This farmland is highly fertile because of the underlying geology and the highest levels of sunshine in the country, building on this land would destroy a valuable long term economic asset and an attractive rural landscape. Much productive fertile land is being built on, the nearest PYO strawberry farm will be over 30 miles away if Sharnfold is taken out of production.

The government has set zero carbon emissions targets for 2050 and to reduce emissions by 68 per cent by 2030 to minimise the detrimental economic and social effects of climate change. Local councils have declared a climate emergency.

Sustainable local food production is essential to reduce food miles and the carbon foot print.

This application is for a few office spaces and workshops to replace a highly productive quality farm business which employs many local people long term and has huge potential to grow.

Currently the number of empty office spaces in the area is increasing rapidly. Spaces at Sovereign Harbour which were built five years ago are still being advertised. There is no need for this development.

Degradation of this much loved farm business by changing the use of the farm yard would be highly damaging to the tourist and agricultural economy, the carbon footprint, our living heritage and local distinctiveness. Objections can be submitted via the WealdenDC website until December 16.