The Farmer's Planning Podcast

Guy French
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Dive into the heart of agricultural planning with our podcast tailored for farmers. Join us as we explore the intricate world of planning permission and permitted development rights specific to the farming landscape. From navigating the complexities of approvals to understanding the nuances of permitted development, our episodes offer a comprehensive guide to empower farmers on their journey. Tune in for expert insights, practical tips, and invaluable information that unravels the intricacies of planning and development rights within the agricultural domain.

  1. Sep 19 ·  Video

    When The Planning Officer Is A Robot

    Your next farm planning application might be judged by software before a planning officer ever picks up the file. We talk through councils trialling AI systems (including Google Gemini style reporting) and why that could make the process quicker but far less forgiving. If a survey is missing, a drawing is unclear, or a technical point is not evidenced, an AI-driven assessment is likely to default to refusal, with none of the back-and-forth that often helps farmers refine a proposal and get to “yes”.  We then move to one of the most underestimated make-or-break issues in rural planning permission: access. A substandard gateway, poor visibility, or the wrong design for the road outside can sink a change of use or a new agricultural building before the rest of the scheme is even considered. We break down what highways look for, why keeping existing accesses in use matters, and how classified versus unclassified roads can change what’s possible, including when prior notification may apply.  Policy is shifting too. The DEFRA roadmap to 2050 points to a stronger national focus on UK food security and the infrastructure that supports domestic food production, alongside the ongoing balancing act with housing land, solar farms, and biodiversity net gain. We also share what we learned from looking at planning systems in Norway and Sweden, and why the UK still offers unusually wide options for farm diversification through tools like Class Q and Class R. Finally, we tackle a very real business pressure: fertiliser costs, storage constraints, and the hard choices farmers face when weather and markets keep raising the stakes.  If you want to stay ahead of farm planning changes and protect your next application, subscribe, share this with a farmer who needs it, and leave a review. What part of the planning process feels most risky for you right now? www.foxesrural.co.uk

  2. Aug 17 ·  Video

    Why Three Chickens Do Not Get A House

    The dream of living on your own farm can turn into a planning headache fast, and most of the trouble comes from assumptions that sound sensible but do not match policy. We sit down with a farm planning specialist to get clear on what councils really mean by “need”, what evidence they look for, and why convenience rarely carries weight when you are trying to secure rural residential permission. We break down the main routes: rural worker dwellings (and why livestock numbers and animal welfare immediacy are usually central), barn conversions through Class Q permitted development, and when you are forced into a full planning application. We also talk through the real-world impact of recent Class Q changes, including the shift towards more, smaller dwellings and how some applicants use a Class Q approval as a fallback position before negotiating a better full planning scheme. If you are in a protected landscape such as an AONB, we explain why the “easy route” may not be available and what that means for surveys, ecology, and complexity. Then we tackle two areas packed with misinformation: living in a caravan or mobile home on land, and creating holiday accommodation to bring income into the farm business. We discuss why “temporary” can still be a material change of use that triggers enforcement, when seasonal occupation might be justified, and how holiday lets can work through full planning or, in some cases, Class R flexible commercial permitted development. If you are a farmer, landowner, or rural buyer trying to plan your next move, subscribe for more straight-talking farm planning guidance, share this with someone weighing up a barn conversion, and leave a review with your biggest planning question so we can cover it next. www.foxesrural.co.uk

  3. Jul 3 ·  Video

    When Did Farming Stop Feeling Free

    We talk honestly about what it’s like raising children on farms now, and why it feels less free than it did when we were growing up. We weigh up harvest pressure, social media comparison, and the real economics pushing farms towards diversification and away from pure food production.  • more rules and tighter safety expectations shaping farm childhood  • memories of harvest as a social family season versus today’s urgency  • larger farm businesses and fewer small family farms changing succession pressure  • diversification as the default way to make a farm pay in the UK  • social media creating “Instagram vs reality” stress for farmers  • instant replies and free advice expectations hitting small planning businesses  • pride in rural upbringing, responsibility, and knowing where food comes from  • how technology could reshape farming for the next generation  www.foxesrural.co.uk

  4. Jun 11 ·  Video

    How To Plan Farm Development Without Wasting Money

    The fastest way to waste money on farm planning permission is to chase a single idea without a strategy. We’re joined by Morwenna, our farm planning consultant and CAD designer at Foxes Rural, to unpack what “thinking strategically” actually looks like when you’re trying to develop a farm, protect the core agricultural business, and build new income streams under real-world rural planning policy. We talk through what happens when a client calls with big plans but no clear route, especially around succession or taking over a holding. Morwenna explains why a stage one appraisal matters, how we look at the whole site and its constraints, and why the order you do projects in can make or break your long-term goals. We also get honest about the most common question we hear: can you build a house on a piece of land? Despite national “build, build, build” headlines, local countryside policy often says otherwise unless there’s a genuine agricultural need. From there we move into practical farm diversification ideas that are showing up again and again, from commercial storage to paddle courts inside redundant barns. We compare full planning applications with permitted development rights, including Class R, and why PD routes can sometimes avoid costly layers like ecology surveys. If you want a clearer farm planning strategy, fewer surprises, and a better chance of success, this conversation will help you plan the next move properly. If you find this useful, please subscribe, share the episode with a farmer who’s weighing up a project, and leave us a review so more people can find the Farmers Planning Podcast. www.foxesrural.co.uk

  5. May 19 ·  Video

    Working With Family On The Farm: The Conversations Nobody Wants To Have

    The hardest part of farm planning permission is rarely the drawings, the policy, or the application. It is the people sitting around the kitchen table. In this episode we sit down as a husband-and-wife team running a farm business together and talk candidly about what actually happens when your colleague is also your partner. The shared days and shared wins are obvious. The friction is just as real — different personalities, different risk appetites, and decisions that carry years of family history. We unpack what makes family farm businesses work when the farm is asset-rich but cash poor and everyone has a view on what should happen next. We cover aligning goals before money gets spent, splitting responsibilities so strengths are actually used, and why naming a clear leader for each project stops decisions dragging on for months. We move into succession through a practical lens: bringing the next generation into leadership early enough to build momentum, while still drawing on the older generation who have lived through the harder market cycles. Then we turn to opportunity. If you have older buildings, hardstanding, or a yard that is no longer earning, there is often real rural planning potential sitting there unused. We discuss conversions, diversified uses, why pace matters, and when leasing a venture is a smarter first move than transferring assets or carrying the cost yourself. If you are working through diversification, succession, or a tricky family decision around rural development, subscribe, share this with someone who needs it, and leave a review. What would you align first on your farm — goals, roles, or leadership? www.foxesrural.co.uk

  6. Apr 27

    You Now Need An Appeal Ready Application From Day One

    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. www.foxesrural.co.uk

  7. 08/11/2025

    Empty Barns and Their Opportunities

    In this episode of the Farmers Planning Podcast, we’re diving into some of our latest and most interesting projects across East Anglia. Join Guy, Mel, and Katie as we discuss: The rise of viticulture and how farmers are diversifying into vines, orchards, and specialist buildings.A tricky permitted development case refused on landscape grounds – and how we turned it around.The benefits of pre-applications for commercial projects, especially in the Green Belt.Tips for solar projects, grants, and timing your applications right.A successful commercial change of use application that overcame previous appeal refusals.Why now is a prime time to explore Class R permitted development rights for converting unused barns into commercial use.Packed with practical advice, planning insights, and real-world examples, this episode is essential listening for farmers, landowners, and rural businesses looking to make the most of their assets. www.foxesrural.co.uk

  8. 07/02/2025

    Summer Planning Essentials for Farmers

    Summer presents perfect timing for farm planning applications with higher approval rates during July-August when planning officers are in better moods. • Farm storage planning is critical before harvest, with different crops requiring specific storage requirements • Commercial buildings on farms can utilize permitted development rights for extensions similar to retail parks • Recent projects include barn conversions, equestrian diversification, and commercial change of use applications • Fruit storage requires surprising amounts of floor space for ventilation and proper temperature control • Permitted development rights offer streamlined application processes compared to increasingly complex full planning applications • Early consultation with planning agents helps identify the most advantageous permission route for farm projects • Lead time for building construction should be considered to avoid groundwork during winter months We're excited to announce our new Bailey people-carrying trailer which can hold up to 30 people and is available for clients applying to Foxes Rural for their events. www.foxesrural.co.uk

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About

Dive into the heart of agricultural planning with our podcast tailored for farmers. Join us as we explore the intricate world of planning permission and permitted development rights specific to the farming landscape. From navigating the complexities of approvals to understanding the nuances of permitted development, our episodes offer a comprehensive guide to empower farmers on their journey. Tune in for expert insights, practical tips, and invaluable information that unravels the intricacies of planning and development rights within the agricultural domain.

Information

  • Creator
    Guy French
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Farmer's Planning Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Farmer's Planning Podcast

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