THE Guernsey Farmers’ Association has given its support to the island’s planning policy. It said that provision is made for farmers to continue in their trade.

Torteval farmer Frank Le Cheminant could be forced out of the industry because he cannot get Island Development Committee permission to build a cattle shed and slurry store at the former Smithfield Vinery site.

He has to move his 70 cows from his present Torteval farm by August, but he had to wait months for the IDC to make a decision.

‘On the whole the association gave its backing to the draft Rural Area Plan, which does make provision for new farms on green field sites under exceptional circumstances,’ said association president, Julian Ogier.

‘It does give encouragement that they want to keep us there.’

He said that the association also gave its support to Mr Le Cheminant’s application and people had to bear in mind that it might be the best area of land that he owns as there is grazing around the site.

‘When building a completely new farm it will more than likely be in a green field site because it will have to be built with grazing fields around,’ he said.

‘We want everyone to keep farming and if Mr Le Cheminant was forced to close, it would be the loss of another medium-sized farm.’

The Agricultural and Countryside Board also continues to support Mr Le Cheminant.

For the last three years it has been giving grants to farmers towards the cost of building a slurry store.

This will end this year after it becomes essential under new Water Board regulations for farmers to have a suitable store.

There will also be a closed season, from 1 October to 1 January, on the application of any organic manure to the land to reduce the risk of diffuse pollution.

‘The board has been very supportive of Mr Le Cheminant’s proposals and continues to back his efforts to obtain planning consent,’ said agricultural and environment advisor Andrew Casebow.

‘The problem is that he may not be able to comply with the requirements of the Water Board to reduce the risk of pollution.’

He said that nearly all dairy farmers had built slurry stores or have plans to build them in the next few months.

‘The Agricultural and Countryside Board supports farming and rural industries and believes that the continuation of dairy farming is very important on the island for the good management of the countryside.

‘It is a major problem for the environment that Mr Le Cheminant is the last farmer in his locality and if he cannot have the required store, it would have a knock-on effect on the maintenance of the environment and would cause a significant depressing effect on land prices.’

Opposition to the application has come from neighbours and members of the douzaine and concerns have been raised about the building’s proximity to the road and parish cemetery.

Mr Casebow said that church farms were common in the UK and for them to be next to cemeteries.

‘There is a feeling that people don’t like farms right beside buildings, but it is a major problem that to continue to manage the natural environment, there needs to be farm buildings.’

He added that the plans were for the slurry store to be under the cattle shed so that it would not actually be visible and that the site was currently quite derelict, so it would probably be improved.