A RETROSPECTIVE call for amendments to a previously granted building and slurry lagoon at a 700-herd Pembrokeshire dairy farm has been given the go-ahead by county planners.
In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Bill Ridge of Vaynor Farm Ltd, Bethesda sought retrospective permission for a replacement agricultural building for cattle housing, the retention of a slurry lagoon as built and associated works at Talybont Farm, Llawhaden.
A supporting statement through agent Cynllunio RW Planning Ltd said: “Bill Ridge farms at Vaynor Farm, trading as Vaynor Farm Ltd. The farm is a 645-acre farm compromising of owned and rented land, this supports a dairy herd of circa 700 cows. The dairy system is an extensive grass-based spring calving system.
“The application is made following receipt of a letter from the local authority planning enforcement department stating that the replacement agricultural building which had recently been erected required planning permission and that the lagoon also recently built seemed not to be in line with the approved plans of [the 2022 application] recently approved on site for the lagoon.
“Therefore, this application seeks retrospective planning permission for the retention of the building as built and the lagoon as built.”
It said the 22.72 by 13.33-metre agricultural building “will house the farm’s dairy replacement heifers as a replacement to the previous building on site,” and the lagoon is of a similar size, depth and capacity to the previously approved one, other than slight changes in positioning and orientation, providing 4,500square metres of slurry storage, which in combination with the existing store of 6,900cubic meters at Vaynor will provide over 170 days’ storage.
It went on to say: “All development is reasonably required for the purpose of agriculture. The applicant does not intend to increase the farm’s stocking rate as a result of this development.”
An officer report recommending approval said the application had been amended since being submitted to improve the proposed green infrastructure, adding: “Information has been provided during the course of the application that proposal is not intended to result in, or support, an increase in the herd numbers of the agricultural enterprise.”
It concluded: “Based upon the information provided within the application, it is considered that the development would be reasonably necessary for the purpose of agriculture.”
The application was conditionally approved.
