Eco-homes development blocked on site of controversial pig farm near Banbury over definition of what constitutes ‘open countryside’

A housing development that would have seen a pig farm replaced by wind turbines and eco-homes, some of which would have been built into the ground, has been blocked due to a council’s definition of what constituted ‘open countryside’.

The pig farm, Hogwood Farm, made headlines in the Banbury Guardian in 2019 when a vegan organisation entered the site and took footage of the animals’ environment. The farmer described it as ‘fake news’.

Members of Stratford District Council’s planning committee were told at their latest meeting [Aug 17] that an industrial pig processing plant housing up to 15,000 pigs and the focus of protests and break-ins was not considered to be a brownfield site ripe for redevelopment.

Planning officer Charlotte Dicks explained: “We consider that the site is in the open countryside - we do not consider it as being previously developed land.”

And planning manager Dale Barker added: “If it is used for growing food then it is not previously developed land and pigs are food. It doesn’t matter that it looks like previously developed land, it doesn't meet the definition and we cannot adjust it.”

Councillors were told that there had been overwhelming support from nearby residents, some of whom had lived with smells coming from the site at Hogwood Farm, Oxhill. Two parish councils, the local district councillor and more than 50 neighbours backed the plans.

Cllr Penny-Anne O’Donnell (Con, Ettington) said: “This is farming on an industrial scale. I would ask you not to consider this as an application in picturesque open countryside, it is far from that.

“Local people want this to happen, the applicant has worked proactively with the local community. This is exciting and our opportunity to lead on a Grand Design standard development.”

Cllr Chris Mills (Con, Kineton) added: “Personally I think this is a good scheme. You have all the credentials - solar panels, wind turbines and it is a very nice looking site which would improve on what is there.”

But councillors rejected the plans by eight votes to three after being advised that it would be unsuitable in the open countryside.

Cllr Nigel Rock (Con, Napton and Fenny Compton) said: “We have a heart and head problem here. To any lay person it is going to look better than it does at the moment. However, you can't drive a horse and cart through our policies.

“If we are going to say that if a business is struggling we are going to come up with a residential development in the countryside then we haven’t got a planning policy any more. I have a great deal of sympathy but I cannot see a way that our planning policy allows it.”