Uncertainty for former mayor as planners balk at giving full backing for his caravan arrangements

                                                           

Ron Shepherd - praised for his 'vision' (and his strawberries) 

A NEW cloud of uncertainty looms over the smallholding business run by a high-profile North East Lincolnshire Council cabinet member and ex-mayor of the borough.

Cllr Ron Shepherd sought the green light from the  council for him and his family to continue living - with no time constraints - in a static caravan  located in a  paddock where they  keep poultry and grow tomatoes, cucumbers, soft fruit and root crops.

He has always maintained that a permanent on-site presence is essential on the land adjacent to 'Netherwood', on the outskirts of Bradley, for security reasons.

But it is against both local and national policy to approve applications for permanent residential accommodation within rural locations, except in exceptional circumstances.

At today’s planning committee meeting, members granted  a temporary permission for three years only during which time the family must show that they can expand the business - known as The Shepherd’s Purse - to commercial scale.

At least the decision has eliminated the risk of homelessness for the family, but will a consent that is only temporary give them them the confidence to invest for the future?

They claim already to have splashed  out £150,000 since 2008, and this figure is set to soar further if they go ahead, in October, with a longstanding plan to purchase and install four glamping pods for which they have already paid the deposit.

During the committee's 40-minute debate, Cllr Henry Hudson (Con) was supportive of the application, describing it as "a super small rural business".

He recalled a busier time when as many as 40 customers' cars were parked and pick-your-own soft fruit sales were booming.

"I remember buying some strawberries, "he enthused. "They were fantastic!

"But the family's dreams changed when two of its members became ill with cancer after which they had to contend with Covid, then restrictions imposed by bird flu.

"They were so close to achieving what they wanted to do, but then their thriving business suffered."

Noting that NELC's planning  officers had recommended that the application should be refused, Cllr Hudson maintained they had "looked at things in black and white", but it was now up to the committee to consider the "mitigating" factors. 

"Let's give the applicant the opportunity to push forward," he urged.

Support was also sounded by  Cllr Shepherd's other Conservative colleagues - committee vice-chairman Cllr  Pettigrew, Cllr Marian Boyd and Cllr Ian Lindley who commended the application for his "vision".

Cllr Lindley, who is also a Scartho ward colleague of the applicant, maintained that, for security reason, it was understandable that the family sought to continue living on site in order to "protect their investment".

And  he cautioned: "Why would the family choose to make further investment in  the knowledge that planning refusal down the road might pull the rug from under their feet?"

However, a different perspective came from Cllr Matthew Patrick (Lab) who declared: "I am not convinced of the merits of this application.

"The site is outside development boundaries and it does not contribute to the rural economy."

Misgivings were also sounded by  Cllr Paul Bright (Ind)  who queried whether there was a need for a residential caravan to be located on site given that CCT security was an option.

The committee voted 6-3 to grant consent for the residential caravan to remain on site for another three years.

Cllr Shepherd did not attend the meeting, but was represented by his planning agent, Dieter Nelson, who spoke in favour of the application.

Before the debate, the committee chairman, Cllr David Hasthorpe (Con), offered fellow-councillors the opportunity to declare whether any had an interest in the outcome of the debate, but none chose to do  so.

The leader of the council, Cllr Philip Jackson (Con), was present as an observer.