THE future of a family farm is being put at risk as a council takes months to sign off a “straightforward” planning approval.
Plans for a dog walking field at Ashfields Farm in Lower Broadheath were approved by Malvern Hills District Council in December last year.
But nine months later the council still hasn’t released the conditions needed for farmer David Pugh to actually begin the work.
“We’ve been stuck in an admin hole,” said Mr Pugh.
FIELD: The field at Ashfields Farm that should have become a dog walking field by now (Image: Submitted)
“I’ve supplied the biodiversity information they have requested and had it sent to them five times, but I’m still waiting for the council to resolve the matter.
“The original eight-week timescale for dealing with the latest stage passed months ago.
“This is particularly frustrating because this isn’t a speculative project for me.
“Farming is not sustainable alone and we are all being urged to diversify.
“The proposed dog field, Peachley Paws, would provide a secure exercise area for local dog owners.
“We thought this process would be straightforward – an easy way to get cash flowing. It is essentially a grass field with a fence around it.
“But we started the application process last June and it feels like we are being punished for doing it properly. It is outrageous – we’re not building a housing estate.”
Mr Pugh said the family has spent more than £10,000 on planning fees and surveys, including getting an expert to carry out an ecology and biodiversity report.
“In the time it’s taken for the council to deal with this, another dog field has opened in Lower Broadheath – it’s beyond baffling,” he said.
The family has chased the council multiple times for answers and say they have escalated a complaint to the chief executive’s office.
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“We’re an arable farm of 248 acres and we’ve been hit really hard,” said Mr Pugh.
“Since we inherited it, farm subsidies have reduced by 80 percent and costs have increased like-for-like by over 40 percent.
“We can’t rely on the farm to make money. I’m not so naive to think the dog field will fix everything but we’re trying to be sustainable so we have something to handover to our children – we’re just trying to survive.”
He said as well as harming cash flow at the farm, the delays have also taken a toll on his mental health and caused sleepless nights.
We have asked Malvern Hills District Council why the process is taking so long.