The success of an organic farmer on the moor above Buckfastleigh has prompted Dartmoor planners to grant him permission for a new agricultural worker's home on his land. It has also prompted a call for the national park to review its policies in order to reflect the changes in farming. Russell Ashford's Bowden Farm, close to Buckfastleigh Moor, includes Huntingdon Warren, which he rents from the Duchy of Cornwall. Formerly a dairy farmer, he and his wife Sandy now produce organic beef and lamb, which they sell direct from the farm and through markets as far away as London. The pair claimed they needed a bungalow in which to house an additional worker, but an agricultural report prepared for the authority concluded otherwise. That suggested changing the existing family arrangements to make more space, a move which would have seen Mr Russell's 76-year-old mother moved out of the farmhouse and into three rooms currently used for holiday accommodation. But Mr Russell told members of the development control committee that his mother, who still works on the farm after 60 years in the business, 'deserved a home of her own'. He also said he needed someone else on site to help out when he and his wife were away selling their produce. The debate balanced on a knife edge, with some members, such as Dr Ian Mortimore, arguing they should stick to policy. Others, such as Mike French, said the Ashfords had survived when other farmers in the area had 'gone down like nine pins' and that in their application he had seen 'nothing more meritorious for a long time'. Stuart Barker argued the moor had evolved over the centuries and if the authority was 'serious about supporting the economy of Dartmoor' it had to grant approval. The committee voted 11-10 in favour of approval, subject to the building having an agricultural tie and the design being agreed. After the vote, Bill Hitchings suggested the authority review its policies.