Staffordshire Moorlands District Council has told a retiring Biddulph farmer that he won't be allowed to station a mobile home on his land.

An application, submitted by a Mr Pointon, related to Park House Farm on Biddulph Common Road, and asked permission for "use of land for stationing mobile home for holiday use".

A planning statement submitted as part of the application explained: "Mr Pointon has farmed 70 acres of land at Biddulph Common Road and close by for many years.

"However, due to age and ill-health, the applicant is looking to retire. He intends to sell the remainder of the holding to neighbouring farmers who will not have need of his buildings as they will already have their own. He is therefore seeking permission to use part of the land within the former quarry for the stationing of a mobile home which will be used for holiday purposes.

"If permission is granted it will result in the demolition of the existing buildings on the site, provide an additional unit of holiday accommodation ... and also provide him with an income into his retirement."

It explained that a previous application was refused on the grounds of highways and Green Belt issues, but argued that these issues had been addressed in this latest application.

However, the district council's planning officers saw things differently, and refused the application on the ground that it would represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt.

Their report concluded: "The proposal represents inappropriate development in the Green Belt and as such this presents a clear reason for refusing the development to which substantial weight should be attached. There would need to be very special circumstances by way of other considerations sufficient to outweigh the in-principle harm and any other harm if the proposal is to be recommended for approval.

"Any economic contribution would be likely to be modest. The applicant intends to retire from the farm and sell the remainder of the farm holding and therefore the development would not be considered farm diversification or contribute to the continued viability of the farm.

"The site access is not conclusively supported in Highways Terms and presents cause for refusal with the level of information currently submitted.

"Overall any possible benefits of the scheme – contribution to tourism and economy and improvement to site appearance – would not offset the substantial weight to be given to the harm by reason of inappropriateness in the Green Belt."

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