Box farmer to live in a horse box over planning row (From Wiltshire Times)

Box farmer to live in a horse box over planning row

10:35am Saturday 11th April 2009 in News By Rachel Allen

Farmer Tina Johnston says she is preparing to move into a horsebox with her nine-year-old daughter following a planning dispute.

Johnston, 42, has been living in a caravan at her 30-acre organic smallholding near Box, Wiltshire.

But she has been refused planning permission to keep the mobile home there, as it was considered too intrusive for the open countryside.

Wiltshire Council said the site was on green belt land and had strict planning policies attached.

Ms Johnston runs a box scheme, delivering organically-grown products to customers.

She said the costs awarded against her from her failed planning appeal had bankrupted her.

"I spent the last five years building up the business to achieve the minimum wage," she said.

A Wiltshire farmer prepares to move into a horsebox with her young daughter "The only criteria I haven't met is that I do not have enough livestock [to meet residential permission requirements].

"I breed a few working horses, I have ducks and geese, I'm told what I do have doesn't constitute enough."

The 25ft (7.6m) long box, which will house a bed, bench, wood-burning stove and LPG cooker, will be parked in the farmyard during the day and in a layby during the night.

Ms Johnston said she would be moving in with her daughter, Grace, this weekend.

"[Grace] is very resilient, she will look on it as a complete adventure," she said.

"As it's nearly summer, we'll be fine, I don't think we'd manage through the winter.

"I'm a little worried about the security aspects of not being within the farm boundaries, but I have no other choice. I do not earn enough money from the farm to rent somewhere to live elsewhere."

Ms Johnston said she would be selling her business.

A statement from Wiltshire Council said: "The land in question is green belt land and as such has stringent planning policies attached to it.

"Our countryside needs to be protected as a resource for future generations and there was no overriding reason why development should be allowed in this case. "