Plans for a former farm shop in Ferring have been revealed.

The owners of a former farm shop in Ferring are seeking permission for change of use back to agriculture, with a flexible option for commercial, business and service use.

Roundstone Farm Shop and Garden centre moved to Hillview Business Park earlier this year, leaving the former site in Littlehampton Road vacant.

Ham Manor Farms has now applied to Arun District Council for planning permission for change of use of the buildings and canopies from shop and café to a flexible use of agriculture or Class E.

Roundstone Farm Shop relocated earlier this year and plans for the former site have now been submitted

placeholder image — Roundstone Farm Shop relocated earlier this year and plans for the former site have now been submitted

This would include any other services appropriate in a commercial, service and business locality, medical services and non-residential creche uses.

In the planning, design and access statement, agent Elizabeth Lawrence explains the background. The shop was originally used solely for agricultural purposes until 1988, when permission was granted for conversion to a farm shop.

At first, the shop could sell only farm produce but in 2014 permission was granted for a café in one of the buildings and in 2017, the sales condition for the shop was removed.

The statement says: “Since then, the shop and café struggled to remain viable. They have now closed and are unoccupied. The applicants are now looking to revert the building back to their original agricultural use and Arun District Council has advised them that this requires full planning permission for change of use.”

The proposal is to return the building to agricultural use, with the added flexibility of using the building for any of the specified Class E activities.

These could include the display or retail sale of goods other than hot food, the sale of food and drink for consumption on the premises, financial services, professional services, medical or health services, a day nursery or day centre, and an office.

The plans do not involve any external or internal changes to the buildings.

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