On 16/11/05 16:33, in article
, "Jaques d'Alltrades"
wrote:

The message k
from Sacha contains these words:

Our local farmer told us a tale or two the other day that indicates planning
departments aren't always sympathetic to them. He and his wife have now
retired and wanted to add one room to her dead father's two bedroomed
bungalow so that they can move in and have a study. The planning officer
was incredulous "what on earth do you want with a study? Why can't you put
the computer in a corner of your bedroom?" Then their son asked for the
same thing to be added to his house and was asked the same question. So he
took them into the kitchen and showed them the mountainous pile of paperwork
a grateful government expects him to deal with - in his bedroom? The same
son wanted to build an en suite bathroom above this study, allowing his wife
and he some privacy in the morning and evening rush. The comment was "what
on earth does a farmer want with an en suite bathroom" - he said he felt as
if he was expected to swill himself off under the yard pump! Another son
has five children so wanted to add on a bedroom in his house. Planning
officer said he saw no reason for it and suggested the two older children
should go down the lane each night and sleep at their grandparents' house!

Incredible!

Takes your breath away innit.

Well, it helps to explain why that sort of attitude, plus the treatment
farmers get from the govt. and supermarket chains, means that in our area we
now have one dairy farmer only and no pig farmers at all. Very soon, this
is going to be an island that can no longer feed itself and IMO, that's a
treacherously dangerous situation for us to be in.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
(remove the weeds to email me)