Planning permission can feel like a moving target, and the rules around appeals have just shifted in a way that catches people out. From our new recording setup, I’m joined by our Planning Director, Mel, to translate the latest farm planning changes into plain, practical steps you can use before you spend money or lose months to delay. If you’ve ever thought, “We’ll submit now and tidy it up later,” this conversation will make you rethink your entire approach.

We unpack the government’s appeal reforms and why they’re a double edged sword: the process should be quicker, but you may no longer be able to introduce fresh reports at appeal stage. That means your first submission has to be watertight, with the right evidence lined up early. We talk through the real world issues that tend to trigger objections and refusals noise, ecology, highways and heritage and how to plan for them so your application is strong enough to stand on its own.

Then we switch to opportunity mode. We dig into permitted development rights, especially Class R, and why it can be such a useful route for rural diversification and change of use in agricultural buildings. We also discuss the temporary campsite permitted development right (tents only) and how a staycation driven summer could turn a good field into a simple seasonal income stream, as long as you avoid the obvious pitfalls like flood risk.

If you’re weighing up whether to resubmit or appeal, or you want smarter ways to unlock value from farm buildings and land, this is for you. Subscribe, share with a farmer who’s stuck in planning, and leave us a review with the planning topic you want us to tackle next.