We’re ethical sheep farmers based in Gunthorpe, Nottingham. The local council have enforced our barn and not offered any alternatives let alone worked with us, if anything they’ve made our life harder. This video is an appeal for people to come forward and offer support and also sign our petition :

https://chng.it/w4TNqwVRRy

For those who would like further information on how we got here. Please see below.

Timeline of events!

1. We purchased our small holding of 4 acres in Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire in 2016.
2. We spent years clearing the land which was disused for around 40 years.
3. We applied for planning for an agricultural barn in 2019 which was approved by N&SDC.
4. We erected this barn late 2019 and it was completed early 2020.
5. The world went into lockdown March 2020. Due to both being self employed any further work on the farm stopped due to finances and lack of contractors, this delayed our farming enterprise. At this time we spent our time on communicating and researching on farming. We looked into health and safety, animal welfare and other legislations in farming.
6. Lockdown restrictions improved summer/autumn 2020 therefore the farming enterprise began.
7. We erected another agricultural barn in October/november 2020 as advised by our architect. This was due to health & safety and fire risk.
8. In March 2021 we were investigated by N&SDC. The barn was incompleted.
9. We complied with all the requests from N&SDC in applying for full retrospective planning. At no point did N&SDC complain about the design of the building.
10. Whilst the retrospective planning application was being considered, In summer autumn 2021 we also fenced the land to stop livestock from escaping. This was before we purchased the livestock.
11. January 2022 - our retrospective planning was refused.
12. We appealed this in Feb/March 2022 at the same time council was questioning the whereabouts of our livestock and we commented that we need secure housing first. We then purchased our sheep.
13. Planning inspectorate attended in July 2022 and stated that the green barn was empty. Sheep were outside in 27 degrees. Of course it was empty.
14. October 2022 the appeal was dismissed.
15. We therefore submitted another planning application December 2022 (our rights within 12months of refusal) with a better justification and altered the design.
16. This application, N&DSC ‘declined to determine’.
17. We seeked counsel (barrister) advice and were advised not to pursue with judicial review as the design of the building was the strongest point. At no point N&SDC assisted us in the altering the design.
18. As work for the demolition of building was to take place, we had to instruct an ecologicalist as bats were living in the barn. Ecologist Surveyors started in May 2023.
19. July 2023 we submitted a prior approval for another agricultural barn on our land.
20. August 2023 - N&SDC refused and advised full planning for the application although we now owned 7.5 acres and rented a further 21.5 acres so we met the 5 hectares pre-requisite for permitted.
21. August 2023 - We kindly asked N&SDC if we could put up temporary field shelters for our livestock and this was refused. N&SDC reply ‘As such, there appears to be no simple planning solution or advice that can be offered to assist you in the current circumstances’.
22. We then applied for full planning in December 2023 after being informed by the enforcement officer ‘Yes I spoke to Diane and advised that we can consider an application for a new barn, if your agricultural justification has progressed from when it was last considered by NSDC and the Inspectorate. This can be in the same location as the unauthorised building, but it must be for a new building’. Which pre supposes that we demolish this building and re-build in the location.
23. In January 2024 this application was ‘declined to determine’ by the head of planning Lisa Hughes.
24. Bagshaws (our planning consultants) communicated with N&SDC due to what we were advised by the enforcement officer and N&SDC will still not determine the application and advised we seek judicial review.
25. Bagshaws emailed N&SDC on the 5th February 2024 asking why they have enforced the whole site and where would they advised we locate another agricultural and we have not received a response since (over 1 month ago).