Growers set to get help to expand businesses

The horticultural industry is set to gain from the ability to carry out work without the need to seek planning permission.

Arun District Council has been chosen by the government to act as a pathfinder for creating local development orders for the businesses. The orders enable certain changes to be made to premises and sites, within size and location limits, to speed up decision making and provide more certainty for the firms.

In a report to a recent development control committee, Arun assistant director for planning services and economic regeneration Karl Roberts said: “Local development orders are recognised ... as a means of relaxing planning controls in appropriate areas to promote economic, social or environmental gains, such as boosting enterprise.”

The government is looking to test how the orders can overcome difficulties for food-related businesses in gaining planning permission for expansion.

Its Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs expects orders will specify criteria that relate to developments required for enterprises such as farm, food manufacturing and processing, retail and hospitality.

The department has given Arun £50,000 to develop the orders.

Mr Roberts said it was likely a separate order would be created for each site. Potential areas include Pagham, land at Barnham/Walberton and Westergate.

“Horticulture is a key employment sector in Arun district. The commercial horticulture industry has a significant presence in the areas surrounding Barnham,” he said.

The council is set to commission consultants to help to prepare the draft order. It is expected to be completed by next March.

Expected schemes which will be covered include small extensions to glasshouses and polytunnels, horticultural produce packing facilities and water storage units.

John Hall, the marketing and publicity officer for the West Sussex Growers’ Association, said: “We will fully support anything that will help to reduce the amount of bureaucracy and time and effort in getting planning permission to build glasshouses or associated activities.

“We will also support anything that will reduce the amount of work involved.”

The horticulture industry in the Arun district grew £1 billion of produce a year and supported 7,000 full-time equivalent jobs, he said.

He said: “It’s a large industry and the second biggest behind tourism. Our members supply some of the biggest retailers in the country.”

Arun created a local development order for Butlin’s, its first, and wants another for the Enterprise Bognor Regis sites.

Planning approval is still needed for other developments on the sites.