Fleet farm building set for approval despite objections

Plans for a large new farm building in Fleet could be approved this week, despite a string of objections from nearby residents.

A new produce store has been proposed for Mill House Farm in Roman Bank which has sparked complaints from the parish council and villagers.

Plans for the 2,128 sqm building - which would be used to store potoates grown by Mill House Farm in Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire and by third parties - are coming before South Holland District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday night.

The applicant says the building is needed to cater for seasonal production as well as out of season demand - and argues it cannot move the building elsewhere as this would involve the costly alteration to the electricity infrastructure.

Fleet Parish Council is concerned about the impact of the nearby Grade 2 listed Mill House.

Its submission to the council states: “This planning application raises concerns at various levels not least of which is the sheer size of the proposal and its probable but real negative impact on a Grade 2 listed building adjacent to the development and to its occupants who have invested heavily and rightly to their property.”

The council also feels the plans will add to traffic issues - on Low Road to the A17 and in and out of the site itself - and lead to noise, overlooking, smell and light issues for those nearby.

Many of these concerns are echoed in the objections lodged by members of the public and MP Sir John Hayes.

A council officer’s report for the committee says that the impact on Mill House would be ‘less than substantial’ and that the ‘economic benefits of the scheme outweigh any harmful effect’ of the plan.