More than a quarter of a century ago this location was undeveloped countryside. Then, in 1997, two applications were approved for farm buildings 06/1085/97/3 and 06/1084/97/3.

Within the next two years, both had been constructed. No further development then took place until 2007, when planning application 06/0934/07/F for the ‘Erection of livestock building and agricultural storage building’ was submitted and approved in the same year. Two new barns were then constructed, one to the east and the other to the west of the existing barns. One of the earlier buildings was also extended. Noticeably of the two new barns, that to the east, was not built in the agreed location, but instead across the path of a Public Right of Way – Blackawton FP No. 4.

A further planning application (06/1141/10/O: ‘Outline application for provision of agricultural dwelling’) was subsequently submitted in May 2010. The application received approval later that year.

And, as we stated in our objection, each of the historic applications had made it consistently clear that the location was not a suitable location for housing development.

The application was refused on the grounds that the proposed development would contravene 'condition 10 of planning reference 06/0934/07/F, which prevents the use of one of the buildings subject to this application, for any purposes other than those associated with agriculture or horticulture'.