NELC CABINET MEMBER IN 'SHEPHERD'S PURSE' CARAVAN PLANNING PLEA

The good life - the Shepherd's Purse caravan

SMALLHOLDER and North East Lincolnshire Council cabinet member Ron Shepherd is pleading with  planners to let him keep his on-site static caravan.

Back in 2017, Cllr Ron Shepherd and wife Gill were granted a temporary three-year consent to site the caravan on a plot off Bradley Road, Bradley, where they keep hens, pigs and sheep and grow a range of nutritious vegetables.

Normally, under current planning guidelines, individual  residential caravans are discouraged, but an allowance was made for the couple because of persistent burglaries.

However, that permission expired in April this year.

In a statement supporting renewal of the consent, the Shepherds say of  their business, which is known as The Shepherd's Purse: "It has grown since granting of temporary planning consent. 

"Considerable investment has been undertaken to ensure security of the business, and there has been investment in ew buildings, internal stock fencing and gates, polytunnels and other facilities.

"We are, at this moment closed due to the t Covid pandemic, but we plan to redesign our shop sales area, to  build further outbuildings and to create further planting beds.

"We have had one minor burglary  since residing on site compared with over 13 previously.

"The business is  is on a sound financial base and is capable of supporting our workforce, but we request a further three-year consent to consolidate our position."

The Shepherds' application is currently under consideration by NELC's planning department with a decision not expected before the New Year.