Farm hope forholiday centre

Mr Jackson-Ebben has applied for a change of use of part of his property to allow 12 timber holiday lodges to be sited there.

His application for Brookfield Farm in Eastergate Lane to be used by tourists all year round is being considered by Arun District Council.

Mr Jackson-Ebben's planning agent, Simon Davis, says in a statement with the proposals that the farmer was keen to see how popular tourism would be at the site.

'There is a strong demand for such a development in the West Sussex area and it is expected that these lodges will prove particularly attractive to persons visiting the area either to take part in equestrian events or to visit the nearby Fontwell Racecourse.

'Provision of this new holiday accommodation will benefit the local economy by virtue of new spending on local goods and services, the indirect jobs that it will create and sustain and the additional employment of local people to assist with the maintenance, cleaning and day to day management of the holiday lodges,' he states.

A 2005 survey of tourism showed that visitors to similar sites spent between 30 and 54 a night to provide a cash boost to the villages' economy. This will be particularly good for Walberton, Mr Davis suggests.

In addition, eight to ten people from the surrounding area will have jobs looking after the lodges.

Brookfield Farm extends to about 17 acres. Most of the land is used as horse paddocks. The proposed location for the holiday lodges is an 8,000sq m (about two acres) square-shaped plot in the farm's south west corner.

The lodges will be the same style as those recently approved at Littlehampton Marina, states Mr Davis, a senior planner of Brighton firm Humberts Leisure.

Each lodge will measure 39ft by 20ft (11.9m by 6.1m) and have two bedrooms and a small outdoor veranda space.

They will be sited on bases of 40ft by 23.3ft (12.2m by 7.1m).

Access to the lodges will be from the existing, and widened, farm access. A by product of the lodges' arrival will be the removal by Mr Jackson-Ebben of the derelict overgrown and eyesore feature on the western part of the site.

Putting in the lodges will enable him to diversify his business after a fall in income caused by a reduction in full livery for the horses which graze on his farm.

Mr Davis adds that three conditions to limit the impact of the tourism will be agreeable to Mr Jackson-Ebben.

These will ensure the chalets were only occupied by tourists, can be used just for holidays and an updated register of their occupiers will be kept for inspection by the district council.