A FARMING family whose generations had farmed their land for 80 years should not be treated as a bunch of flybynights, Cllr Jeremy Christophers told Teignbridge Council Development Control Committee this week. He said putting a tying condition on the main farmhouse at Lower Rixdale Farm, Bishopsteignton, would restrict their capacity to put up a quality building for an agricultural worker. 'By tying their hands it would restrict their funds,' he stated. L J Reddaway and Son were applying for permission to change the use and the conversion of Rixdale Barn to an agricultural worker's dwelling. The proposed conversion will form a lounge, kitchen and toilet on the lower ground floor, two bedrooms and a bathroom on the ground floor and an en-suite bathroom within the roof space. At last month's meeting, the committee had granted permission contrary to the advice of the council's agricultural consultant and the head of planning services. They had maintained there was no agricultural justification, poor road access, it was non-sustainable and the building was not structurally sound. John Reddaway said he fully accepted there must be an agricultural tie on the barn conversion, but, if a tie was put on the main house, it would seriously affect its value. 'To raise money it would be a serious disadvantage to the business in the future,' said Mr Reddaway. Members heard there had never been a tie on the farmhouse and Cllr Brian Berman said it would be grossly unfair to impose one. Council chairman Cllr Mike Walters said farmers had been experiencing bad times. 'We should be assisting farming in this area,' he said. But Cllrs Beryl Austen and Anna Klinkeberg, the vice-chairman, wanted the tie. 'What we have seen in the past is someone getting permission for a barn to be converted without the tie and then within a few months it is on the open market and sold,' said Cllr Austen. Cllr Klinkenberg said if they wanted agriculture to continue they had to keep the ties on. 'I know only too well of how many have been sold off,' she said. On a 14-6 vote, councillors granted the application without the tie on the farmhouse.
