Rother ‘blind eye to planning breach’ claim

The man bought Great Buckhurst Farm in Bluemans Lane, Westfield, in July 2002.

In May 2003, Rother District Council granted planning permission to build a farm office on the site, subject to a number of conditions.

Work on the office began the following month, but instead of being built in the approved location, the office was constructed 40 metres north on the opposite side of an access point.

Work was completed in February 2004.

But several months later, in June 2005, the applicant apparently started living in the office, converting it into a five-bedroom dwelling.

The owner did not have planning permission to use the building as a dwelling.

But because he has lived in the property for more than four years, he can now claim the legal right to carry on living there.

An application has been submitted to Rother District Council for consideration.

But one member of the public accused Rother of ‘turning a blind eye’ to reports that someone had been living in the building without the proper permission.

According to the application submitted to Rother, no Council Tax has been paid on the property.

Members of the public are being invited to have their say on the application.

Comments are due in to Rother by November 19.

The council will make a decision on the application at a later date.

A Rother District Council spokesman told the Observer: “We have previously received one communication from a member of the public alerting us to the fact this property may have been used as a dwelling.

“Following an initial investigation we subsequently advised the owner that it was open for an application to be made to the council for a certificate of lawfulness to establish whether the building could lawfully be used as a dwelling, which he has now done.

“We are currently considering this application by the owner.

“No decision has yet been made and it would not be appropriate to comment further while this process is still ongoing.”