Getting new UK farmers onto the land in Devon
By Ben Brangwyn 16th June 2011
This just came in from the Ecological Land Coop – brilliant!
–3 Ecological Smallholdings, Devon – Apply by 19/7/11
The Eco Land Co-op (ELC) are looking for three tenants (households) for three ecological smallholdings. The holdings are a mix of sizes, between 6-9 acres each and are near Holcombe Rogus, Mid Devon (Somerset border). Two of the holdings are ex-arable and the third is mainly pasture. Holdings come with a 999-year lease, shared lane access and barn (built of natural and local materials), use of solar photo voltaic array, water supply and on-site biological waste water treatment. Plots to range from £60-£65K.
The plots will be sold with a five year temporary planning permission for agricultural residency – tenants would have permission to build a low impact dwelling such (more info available on request and from our website – see below). Before the five years has elapsed and assuming the project is demonstrating growing productivity and viability (environmental, social and economic), ELC would apply for a permanent permission. ELC will work with tenants to help ensure that sites develop in this way.
We have put together an information pack which can be downloaded from here: http://www.ecologicalland.coop/apply-smallholding (we can also post or email a copy to you). Other documents on the site can be downloaded from this webpage including an ecological survey and the results of soil tests. We are committed to supporting new entrants into farming and the sustainability of rural communities and are always open to feedback and new ideas. Please let us know if you have any comments or questions as nothing is written in stone and your contribution is most helpful.
**Please note that the Council’s planning officers have said that they need to know who the tenants will be before they grant planning permission so we are having to ask for applications now rather than after planning permission has been secured. You should know that the planning officers have thus far been supportive of the project. We would not expect anyone to purchase their smallholding before planning permission was granted. Assuming the Council grants permission, tenants would be able to purchase their holding and move on from November of this year onwards.**
If you would like to apply, we would love to hear from you before 6.00pm the 19th July 2011. As you’ll see in the pack, we have arranged site visits for those short-listed to take place either on the 23rd July or/and 6th of August. Further details of the process are outlined in the application pack but please don’t hesitate to call /email me with any questions.
I very much look forward to hearing from you.
With warm regards,
Zoe (and the ELC team) 07963 955 338 and 01273 477 235 (home)
I expect we’ll be seeing much more of this over the next decade.