Policy information sourced from the Guildford Local Plan 2003: Saved Policies

RE11 New Agricultural Dwellings

Planning permission will not be granted to site a permanent dwelling for an agricultural or forestry worker in the countryside outside defined settlement boundaries unless:

  • A dwelling and its proposed siting on an agricultural or forestry holding are essential for the efficient running of the enterprise there;
  • The need is for the accommodation of a full time worker or one who is primarily employed in agriculture;
  • The unit and the agricultural or forestry activity concerned have been established for at least 3 years, have been profitable for at least one of them, are currently financially sound and have a clear prospect of remaining so;
  • No other housing accommodation is available locally to meet the need;
  • The necessary accommodation cannot be provided by the conversion of a building on the holding;
  • The new dwelling is to be sited close to any farmstead or any other group of rural buildings on the holding; and
  • The new dwelling is no larger in size than is justified by the needs of the enterprise or more expensive to construct than the income of the enterprise can sustain.

If planning permission is granted for a dwelling for an agricultural or forestry worker on a holding in the countryside, it will limit the occupation of the dwelling to a person solely or mainly working, or last working, in the locality in agriculture or forestry, or a widow or widower of such a person, and to any resident dependants. An occupancy condition will also be imposed on any other existing dwellings on the unit, which are under the control of the applicant, do not have occupancy conditions and are needed in connection with the farm. Permission for the discharge of such conditions will be granted only when the Borough Council is satisfied that the long term agricultural need for the dwelling has ceased both on the holding and in the locality.

For more information please see the 2003 Local Plan