Shropshire Farming Talk: Planning reform a real farming vote winner

So, what is on farmers’ wishlists for politicians to heed?

According to a survey by the Country Landowners Association, planning reform is the issue which would influence where 70 per cent of rural business owners would place their cross.

Almost three-quarters of the 350 people polled said they had abandoned investment plans because of problems with the planning system, with nearly half of those saying they had spent at least £10,000 before giving up.

With 85 per cent agreeing that the growth of their businesses had been hampered by the planning system, it is easy to see why farmers want radical change.

The problems farmers are encountering cover everything from change of use planning permissions for unused buildings to restrictions resulting from green belt regulations.

Council planning departments are over-stretched and under-resourced, but delays and backlogs aren’t the only issue farmers are reporting. A whopping 94 per cent said there was a lack of knowledge of rural issues and agricultural matters within the planning system, an issue worsened by a shortage of experienced planning staff.

“Red tape” is also an issue as the simplification promised by Brexit failed to materialise, meaning even apparently simple planning applications can get bogged down by detail.

Wholesale reform of the planning system is needed to give rural businesses the confidence they need to plan for investment and growth.

Beyond planning, farmers will also be looking for economic stability along with clarity and reassurance about any tax changes, food security policies, environmental regulations, inheritance taxes and land ownership laws.

Above all, farmers need a sustained period without economic upheavals if they are to be able to plan effectively for the future. Inflationary pressures have forced up the costs of manpower, animal feeds, machinery and much more, without a corresponding increase in farm gate prices to compensate.

Urgent and funded environmental action is also needed to moderate the effects of climate change which are causing untold issues for farmers trying to cope with regular flooding, shifting season patterns and warmer temperatures.

Whatever happens on Thursday, the politicians now asking for our votes would be advised to not forget the rural vote once they get the keys to Number 10. Farmers have been pushed to the brink and need clear, targeted change if businesses are to survive and thrive through the life of this parliament and beyond.

It is vital that everyone involved in farming and rural businesses gets good, knowledgeable legal advice to make sure they have everything in place to keep their business going for future generations.

Suzanne Tucker, head of the planning team at FBC Manby Bowdler