Farm Shop Expansion Granted Planning Permission

Leisure and Tourism Ravenshead, Nottinghamshire, NG15

A change of use from the existing farm shop (Use Class A1) to a mixed use – farm shop and tea room (Use Class A1 and A3) has been granted planning permission by Gedling Borough Council.

The site is within the Nottinghamshire Green Belt but on the edge of an existing working cattle farm in Ravenshead. GraceMachin first successfully obtained planning permission for the new Farm Shop building for the landowner/ farmer in November 2016.

Since then Ravenshead Farm Shop has become a local business success story providing residents of Ravenshead, the surrounding villages and visitors to Gedling with a place to buy locally reared meats, homemade cakes and homegrown vegetables.

In early 2020 our client identified a demand from his existing customers for a dedicated seating area / tea room. The provision of this facility would benefit customers living locally but also visitors and tourists to this rural part of the Borough.

The proposed tea room would complement the existing Farm Shop ‘offer’ and would immediately generate an additional 4 part time jobs for local people.

This proposal did not require any physical external alterations to the existing building. The proposed tea room would be wholly contained within the footprint of the existing Farm Shop building and consequently GraceMachin was of the view that the proposal would not raise any issues upon the character and appearance of the countryside or Green Belt location.

Following discussions with our client it was decided that the tea room should equate to no more than 25% of the total floor space of the building. The tea room would also always remain ancillary to the main use of the building as a local Farm Shop.

GraceMachin considered the proposal to constitute a truly sustainable development in this rural part of Gedling and we are delighted that Gedling Borough Council continued to support our Client in his efforts in making his business successful, granting planning permission by delegated powers within 8 weeks of the application being formally submitted.

George Machin, Partner stated:

"This Farm Shop already contributes significantly to the local economy and welfare of most of the population of Ravenshead (and also the wider area of Gedling) particularly at the present time and during the recent “lockdown”. The Farm Shop has had a very positive impact on the local economy in the past few years in terms of employment generated; visitor spend in Gedling Borough and wider economic growth in the rural area. A Farm Shop selling homegrown produce, particularly during these uncertain times, is exactly the type of business planning policy and local authorities should support. I was therefore very pleased that Gedling recognised this and continue to work positively with me on this site."

Plan of the approved proposal attached.

Site plans

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Established in June 2012 by Chartered Town Planners Nick Grace and George Machin, our portfolio of work covers a wide breadth and scale of development; from single houses or replacement dwellings to large scale, mixed use, residential and commercial sites.