Revised Deposit Plan - Wychavon District Council

• a standard “occupancy” condition will be imposed stating that the
occupancy of the temporary dwelling will be limited to a person solely or
mainly working, or last working, in the locality in (agriculture), or a widow or
widower of such a person, and to resident dependants;
• it will be for a temporary period of up to three years with a condition
requiring the removal of the accommodation and re-instatement of the site
after the permission expires if planning consent has not been granted for a
permanent dwelling;
• generally, it will be inappropriate to either repeatedly renew temporary
permissions or approve for periods longer than three years because this is
considered sufficient time to demonstrate the viability of the enterprise.
POLICY COM10 REMOVAL OF AGRICULTURAL OR RURAL
WORKERS OCCUPANCY CONDITIONS
Generally, occupancy conditions will be retained on agricultural and
rural workers dwellings. However, occasionally circumstances may
have changed such that the Council may agree to the removal of the
condition.
Proposals to remove an occupancy condition will be permitted where the
Council is satisfied that:
a) the dwelling is now located within a defined development boundary;
or
b) the long-term need for the dwelling in the locality has ceased.
Proposals to remove an agricultural occupancy condition will only be
permitted where the Council is satisfied that:
a)the long term need for an agricultural dwelling in the locality has
ceased, and
b)significant attempts have been made to sell or lease the dwelling to
persons who could occupy it in accordance with the condition; or
a)where the dwelling is now located within a defined development
boundary.
5.2.47. New agricultural workers’ dwellings are permitted as an exception to the
normal strict planning control operating in the countryside in order to meet
specific economic and social needs of the rural community. Policy COM8
aims to ensure that such dwellings are only permitted where there is a genuine
long term need. However, changes in farming may result in these dwellings
no longer being required for agricultural purposes - this may be particularly
relevant to tied dwellings built more than 20 years ago. Although it is not
appropriate for them to remain permanently vacant, applications for the
removal of the condition will need to be carefully assessed in order to establish
whether there is a continuing need for agricultural dwellings in the locality (not
just on the specific holding) as stated by PPG7 (Annexe I). The Council will
require evidence that the long-term need for the dwelling has ceased. The
Council may also undertake its own analysis of long-term need by, for
example, a review of planning applications for agricultural dwellings received
during the preceding 10 years and within a reasonable travel distance
(normally 25 minutes by car). The Council will require evidence that the longterm
need for the dwelling has ceased and that significant attempts have been
made to sell or lease the property to persons who would satisfy the
“occupancy” condition.
Wychavon District Local Plan Revised Deposit (July 2003) Page 103
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