Plans to convert part of an agricultural building into an on-site slaughter house at Naked Farm, Warninglid, West Sussex, have been refused by Mid Sussex District Council.

An application submitted in June to partially fit out an existing agricultural building into a abattoir and animal processing facility has been denied.

On August 27, Mid Sussex District Council refused the application (DM/26/140) under Section 192 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, after finding insufficient evidence that the proposed animal slaughtering and processing was merely ancillary or subordinate to normal farming operations.

The proposed layout for the building at Naked Farm, included lairage pens, livestock handling areas, stunning and bleeding facilities, carcass processing areas, chillers, welfare facilities, plant room and associated equipment. The remaining larger part of the building would continue as livestock housing.

Three piglets pictured together (This photo has no association with Naked Farm)

placeholder image — Three piglets pictured together (This photo has no association with Naked Farm)

While the farm, formerly known as Lydhurst Estate, keeps a wide variety of livestock—including sheep, buffalo, pigs, and chickens—the application did not clearly specify which animals would be slaughtered or processed in the proposed facility .

104 third-party representation letters were received, with 102 objecting on grounds of scale, traffic, noise, odour, landscape, animal welfare, and environmental impacts.

Mid Sussex District Councils decision states: “In conclusion it is considered that the applicant has failed to demonstrate, on the balance of probabilities, that the proposed slaughtering, animal processing and associated activities would fall within the existing agricultural use of the holding or would be ancillary to that use to such an extent that no material change of use would occur.

“The Local Planning Authority is therefore not satisfied that the proposed use would be lawful at the date of the application. As such a certificate of lawfulness cannot be issued.

"Decision: Refusal”

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