§ Mr. GarnierTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Governments planning policy towards applications for farm shops.
§ Mr. BaldryFarm shops help meet demand from consumers who want fresh produce at the point of production and can provide new sources of jobs and services in rural area and outlets for producers of regional and speciality foods. Advice on the circumstances in which planning applications are needed for farm shops is provided in planning policy guidance note 7, paragraph B2. When planning applications are needed, local planning authorities should take account of
(i) the desirability for the fanner to provide a service throughout the year, which may require him to bring in non-local1 produce to overcome the problems of seasonality and provide continuity of employment and to ensure that a sufficiently wide selection of produce can be offered;(ii) the potential impact on nearby village shops; and(iii) the transport effects in terms of the traffic likely to be generated and the highways, access and parking arrangements.1 In this context non-local means produce originating from beyond the farm holding and its environs. Local planning 241W authorities should not discriminate against produce orginating outside the United Kingdom. This applies equally to produce which is packed on the farm but which originates from outside it.
In individual cases where the development of an unrestricted retail use on a farm shop would be likely to result in a significant adverse effect on a nearby village shop, the local authority may wish to consider the scope for using planning conditions to limit the broad types of produce sold in the farm shop so as to enable permission to be given. Guidance on the use of conditions is contained in the DOE circular 1/85.