Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Site visit made on 10 June 2025 by M J Francis BA (Hons) MA MSc MClfA an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State Decision date: 29th July 2025 Appeal Ref: APP/W4705/W/25/3359965 Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, Keighley, Bradford BD22 8RS • The appeal is made under section 78 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (as amended) against a refusal to grant approval required under Article 3(1) and Schedule 2, Part 6, Class A, of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended). • The appeal is made by Mr Adam Ogden against the decision of City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council. • The application Ref is 24/02358/PNA. • The development proposed is construction of new farm building and re-instatement of existing track. Decision 1. The appeal is dismissed. Main Issue 2. The main issue is: • Whether the proposal would be development permitted under Schedule 2, Part 6 Class A of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (as amended (the GPDO). Reasons Whether permitted development 3.

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Class A of Part 6 of the GPDO permits the carrying out on agricultural land comprised in an agricultural unit of 5 hectares or more in area of: (a) works for the erection, extension or alteration of a building; or (b) any excavation or engineering operations, which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture within that unit. 4. The Council considers that the proposed building is not ‘reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture’ as the scale of the proposed building would not be commensurate with the purpose of the agricultural unit, particularly as part of the land is steeply sloping and some of it wooded. Moreover, they consider that the design, with a series of windows is domestic, rather than agricultural in style. 5. The appellant has stated that the landholding covers 6.3ha and has been in agricultural use for 15 years. They have provided details of an agricultural holding number. The unit is divided by the A6033, but the proposed building would be constructed on land not less than 1 hectare in size. The stock includes Dalesbred https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/W4705/W/25/3359965 and Dutch Spotted ewes, which the appellant wishes to breed and result in a herd of 50-60 ewes, and some rams. 6. The proposed building is required for shelter and lambing pens, farm vehicles and equipment, and the storage of bedding and food for the stock, which is currently stored in a domestic garage. The building would be flexibly designed so that it could be sectioned off if required and provide space for vehicles to be manoeuvred and stored. Additionally, the appellant seeks to resurface a farm track between an existing farm gate and the proposed building. 7. The building would be constructed with a portal frame on a concrete base, with concrete blocks to lower courses. It would have vertical timber boarding above and a corrugated metal roof. There would be roller shutter doors on two elevations with windows covered by translucent panels on the southern and northern elevations. 8. The location plan has a blue line showing the boundary of the land owned by the appellant, either side of the A6033. The land, particularly to the east, is very steep, whilst that to the west is more undulating, before sloping down to the valley bottom. It includes areas of woodland. 9.

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision The GPDO defines ‘agricultural land’ as land which is in use for agriculture. Whilst I saw that the land is indeed agricultural land, limited substantive evidence has been provided as to the use of the land. Evidence of the agricultural activities on the site, such as the buying or selling of animals and feedstuffs, has not been submitted. 10. Moreover, at the time I visited, there were no stock within the fields, which are visible from the road, and from what I saw, there was no evidence of the land having been recently grazed. The track had not been used for some time, and I saw that the gate into the field, where the track would be recreated, had tall grass and brambles growing behind it. 11. When considering whether the building would be reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture, the building itself and the uses carried on within it must be reasonably necessary for the use of the land as an agricultural unit. The building is required for the storage of feed, bedding, equipment and farm vehicles. However, although the land would be suitable for the grazing of sheep, the landholding is limited.

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Whilst the appellant has referred to expanding contract work, this would not be for the purposes of agriculture on this agricultural unit. Therefore, the amount of storage required would be limited by the scale of operations on a holding of this size. 12. The appellant has stated that the roller shutter doors are positioned to allow the subdivision of the building if required. The doors when opened would, therefore, provide light into the building, as the appellant would prefer on the roof, solar panels, rather than rooflights. Although the appellant is prepared to change the windows on the side elevations, amended plans are not before me. Moreover, there is limited substantive evidence as to why a building used for storage would require the number of windows along the two longest elevations, even if covered by plastic or Perspex sheeting. 13. Whilst I understand that a building to store equipment, machinery and feedstuffs would be necessary for the keeping of livestock, there is limited substantive evidence of any stock on the farm and no indication of the agricultural use of the https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 2

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — Appeal Decision Appeal Decision APP/W4705/W/25/3359965 land in the form of details of animal movements, feed and equipment receipts. Although I saw the land, there was limited evidence of operations on it. 14. Therefore, drawing these factors together, I cannot be sure that the building is reasonably necessary for the purposes of agriculture on this unit. Consequently, it would not satisfy the necessary criteria set out in A.1 of Class A, Part 6 of the GPDO. It would therefore not constitute permitted development under Class A. 15. The appellant has set out details of the siting, design and external appearance of the building, in terms of it being positioned below the road, the proposed materials, and that the access track has been designed to follow the contours of the landscape. However, as the proposal would not be permitted development, I have no reason to consider the prior approval matters regarding siting, design and external appearance. Conclusion 16. For the reasons set out above, I conclude that the appeal should be dismissed.

Hawkcliffe Farm, 2 - 4 Hebden Road, Haworth, KEIGHLEY, West Yorkshire, BD22 8RS — City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council — M J Francis INSPECTOR https://www.gov.uk/planning-inspectorate 3