STATEMENT IN SUPPORT OF AN APPLICATION FOR RETROSPECTIVE
PERMISSION FOR THE USE OF LAND AS RESIDENTIAL CURTILAGE AT
WOODFIELD FARM LONGSIGHT ROAD CLAYTON LE DALE BB2 7JA
This statement is in support of a retrospective application to allow the continued use of
land at Woodfield Farm as residential curtilage. The land the subject of this application
was not included in the planning permission reference 3/2006/0688 granted on the 06
October 2013 or the application which preceded it reference 3/2006/0343. See appendix
Approved Site Plan 1:500. It is our intention to demonstrate that the former “farm yard” of
Woodfield Farm extended further than residential curtilage that was applied for in the
planning applications.
Mr Wade bought Woodfield Farm including the land the subject of this application on the
15th May 2005.
Three aerial photographs below off the google earth website have recorded the changes
before and after the site was developed for the new house. Several features appear on
all three photographs in particular the old farm house at the bottom centre of the
photographs, the substantial tree (tree A) to the east of the old farmhouse adjacent to
the A59 and a smaller tree (tree B) half way along the north west field boundary to the
north of the farm. On the 2000 and 2002/3 photographs the former timber agricultural
building is visible with the western roof appearing to be bright white. The smaller grey
roof of the new house is visible in the same position on the 2009 photograph.
Tree B
2000
Tree A
The aerial photograph on google earth dated 2000 shows the field to the east of the farm
after is has been mown. This confirms that the area around the large timber farm
building extended quite a way to the east of that building. Only the area east of tree A
and the field some distance away from the timber buildings is capable of being mown
for grass. This suggested that the area of land to the west of the mown grass is used for
some other purpose.
2002/3
The aerial photograph from google earth dated 2002/3 shows a track on the eastern
edge of the farm yard travelling in a northern direction from tree A towards the northern
field boundary where is crosses into the next field to the north. This track is in the same
position as the western edge of the mown grass shown on the 2000 photograph. This
track denotes the edge of the curtilage around the farm buildings.
2009
Comparing the position of the track to position of the tennis court and garden area to the
east of the new house on the 2009 photograph it can be seen that the garden and tennis
court are within the area which was formerly the curtilage of the farm buildings. The
garden and tennis court have not extended into the field beyond the route of the former
track.
The extent of the curtilage around the farm buildings is described by Mr Allan Thomas in
his Statutory Declaration. Mr Thomas runs the neighbouring Woodfield Garage and for a
time jointly farmed the land with former owner of Woodfield Farm. His Declaration
confirms the facts in this statement.
The vehicle access to the western side of the old farmhouse is clearly visible on all the
aerial photographs because it is hard surfaced . The vehicle acces to the west of the
farm is less clear. This vehicle access was not hard surfaced. Like with many tracks the
surface was grass with the ground beneath reinfroced with stones. Mr Thomas in his
Declaration confirms that the eastern access existed and was in use prior to the
demolition of the timber farm building and the construction of the new dwelling. He also
confirms that the existing access at the east side of the old farmhouse follows the same
as the route of the former track.
We have demonstrated that that the current eastern driveway to Woodfield Farm follows
the route of farm track that existed at the time that planing permsion was granted for the
new house. The increase in the size of the curtilage of the new house has only extended
to the limit of the farm yard area that existed aoround Woodfield Farm at the time of the
application for the new dwelling. The ‘red’ edge at the time of the application did not
accurately reflect the extent of the existing farm yard area. It should also be noted that
part of the approved curtilage has now been incorportated into the curitlage of the farm
building to the north west of the house and is no longer in the applicants ownership. Part
of the additional curtilage is off set by this part of the orginal curtlage remaining in
agricultural use.
Judith Douglas BSc (Hons) Dip TP, MRTPI
Janet Dixon Town Planners Ltd, 10A Whalley Road, Clitheroe. BB7 1AW
Tel: 01200 425051
January 2014