Fresh plans for a hay barn at an Isle of Wight farm with rare breed animals have been lodged after a previous bid was rejected over visual impact concerns.
Richard Salter has proposed a 20m long structure with 3 walls and a green roof, screened by hedge planting, on land inside the Isle of Wight National Landscape at Oaklea Dairy, near Alverstone.
At the beginning of last month, County Hall knocked back a prior barn proposal from Mr Salter, citing a ‘detrimental’ effect on the protected area’s character.
A planning statement from rural property consultant John Woolley says:
“In addition to the 400 head of commercial cattle, over the last few years Mr Salter, in association with Ms Walls, have built up a small flock of rare breed sheep and goats, and a small number of rare breed cattle, as part of a farm diversification project.
“The rare breed animals eat predominantly hay as supplementary feed, rather than silage. They are also not housed in Mr Salter’s main cattle sheds. They are outwintered.
“Mr Salter would like to put up a small agricultural barn to store the hay required to feed these animals, and to store some items needed for their welfare, closer to their location e.g. feed bins, shearing implements, some straw bales certain times of the year etc.”
The document adds that it is important for the profitability of Mr Salter’s business that he does not lose a significant amount of hay to the elements each year.
County Hall’s public consultation on application 25/01690/6PA closes on 17th December and a decision is due on 18th December.
