Village farm moving due to noise and access issues

Elmwood Farm in Walton, Wakefield, will be operating from nearby greenbelt land

A village farm has been given permission to relocate following complaints about noise and the lack of access for lorries and farm vehicles.

Elmwood Farm in Walton, Wakefield, will be moving to nearby greenbelt land to "operate more effectively" and to avoid further conflict with residents, according to the council.

Accessing the 390-hectare farm with lorries and tractors had become "virtually impossible" due to parked cars, while residents had regularly complained about machinery noise, especially during harvest, said the owners.

At its new location, the farm will be based 1,300 ft (400m) from the nearest house and will have a new access road.

Plans have also been approved for a new farmhouse, cattle shed and grain store.

Pilkington Farms Partnerships said it had access issues with "general farming" tasks such as collecting grain and delivering fertiliser, and residents had complained about late-night noise from machines including a mobile grain dryer.

Elmwood Farm is used for both arable and livestock but the family-run business had to scale back its livestock rearing due to an increase in complaints.

A report submitted to Wakefield Council on behalf of the farm said: “Operating the farm in its current location within Walton village has become increasingly problematic."

The owners intend to submit further planning applications to refurbish and change the use of the existing buildings, which date back to the late 1700s, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The farm has been operating for 51 years and the new location will mean it is still a "'viable enterprise"

The application was supported by Walton Parish Council and four residents and there were no objections to the scheme.

Peter Walsh, clerk to the parish council said: “It will benefit both the local farming community, neighbouring residents, and aid the free-flow of traffic on Oakenshaw Lane.

“The parish council are in favour of having a working farm in close proximity to the village so the surrounding fields are locally maintained and cultivated.”

A planning officer’s report said the scheme was appropriate for the greenbelt.

It added: “This family farming business has been trading for the past 51 years and there is significant confidence that the enterprise will remain viable for the foreseeable future."

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