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Does anyone know if we would be able to put rare breed pigs in our 2 acre woodland?
We approached the council just to check and they said a really big fat NO!
We would like to keep 4 pigs on the land to forage up the brambles and then to have them for meat. Possibly keeping a sow and a boar for breeding to keep us and our family in good meat.
We have explained that the pig ark would be mobile and the pigs are necessary for the woodland management.
We think that the council think that we want to start a big pig enterprise and look to the future of living in the wood but this is not the case - we just want to be as self sufficient in meat and vegetables as we possibly can and also for the conservation of a rare breed pig.
We don't need to live in the wood as we have a house practically just next door.
What are the consequences if we went ahead with this? Would we get a telling off and asked to remove everything or would there be a hefty fine?
We have read the book "Field to Farm" and we don't seem to fit into any of the criteria.
Hope someone can help - our pigs are ordered!!!
TraceandAndy
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Woodland Pigs
Started By
TraceandAndy
, 23 Jun 2010 17:59
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#2
Posted 23 June 2010 - 20:39
surreydodger
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- Book Owners
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- 1,208 posts
Agricultural Planning Advisory Service
- LocationWest Sussex
Hi T & A,
I am mystified as to under what grounds the planners are using to prevent you from running a few pigs in your own woodland? So long as you are using portable pig arks there ought not be a problem. Have you asked the planner under what rule he/she is deeming that you may not keep pigs in your own woodland?
Jesus,, people keep pigs as household pets now,, will they need planning too soon.
I am mystified as to under what grounds the planners are using to prevent you from running a few pigs in your own woodland? So long as you are using portable pig arks there ought not be a problem. Have you asked the planner under what rule he/she is deeming that you may not keep pigs in your own woodland?
Jesus,, people keep pigs as household pets now,, will they need planning too soon.
#3
Posted 23 June 2010 - 21:50
shepie
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- Moderators
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- 1,073 posts
Lord of the Manor
Hi traceandandy
As surreydoger said please get your pigs and go ahead with your plan there is nothing they can do to stop you , all you need to do is provide shelter / feed / water and register with defra and a local vet , there are plenty of good books for starting with pigs and also day courses to take , good luck and enjoy your pigs .
Shepie
As surreydoger said please get your pigs and go ahead with your plan there is nothing they can do to stop you , all you need to do is provide shelter / feed / water and register with defra and a local vet , there are plenty of good books for starting with pigs and also day courses to take , good luck and enjoy your pigs .
Shepie
#4
Posted 24 June 2010 - 09:47
TraceandAndy
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- Book Owners
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- 3 posts
Newbie
Thanks Surreydodger and Shepie,
Having someone out there to listen and understand means a lot!
We originally searched for help through smallholding magazines and came across a particular article on woodland. This is what lead us to believe that we needed planning permission from the council as it stated we had to notify them of change of use of land.
Being a little nieve, we thought best do the job right and not get into any trouble so hence the contact. Very bad move! We were bamboozled with form after form to fill in. Eventually they recomended we apply for a General Permitted Development Order. We did, they refused as our land is only 2 acres of which they knew in the first place!
We also referred to the pig ark as a pig house - wrong again! They said that if the pigs live in the pig house there would be issues regarding manure/slurry. Those people who keep pet pigs in their homes come to mind here!
If only we had dicovered the "Field to Farm" book a couple of months ago we wouldn't be in this pickle! How very true Dave Acreman's words are - "you will get no help from the planners and fed missinformation".
We have had the book just 3 days and have learnt more in that time than we have in six months of dealing with the council.
As it stands now, our neighbours who sold us the land have said that if we need to we can rent the whole woodland of 45 acres so as just to shut the council up! They hate the council! The best bit is the rent - 1p per year!
Thanks again guys, we'll see what happens next.
TraceandAndy
Having someone out there to listen and understand means a lot!
We originally searched for help through smallholding magazines and came across a particular article on woodland. This is what lead us to believe that we needed planning permission from the council as it stated we had to notify them of change of use of land.
Being a little nieve, we thought best do the job right and not get into any trouble so hence the contact. Very bad move! We were bamboozled with form after form to fill in. Eventually they recomended we apply for a General Permitted Development Order. We did, they refused as our land is only 2 acres of which they knew in the first place!
We also referred to the pig ark as a pig house - wrong again! They said that if the pigs live in the pig house there would be issues regarding manure/slurry. Those people who keep pet pigs in their homes come to mind here!
If only we had dicovered the "Field to Farm" book a couple of months ago we wouldn't be in this pickle! How very true Dave Acreman's words are - "you will get no help from the planners and fed missinformation".
We have had the book just 3 days and have learnt more in that time than we have in six months of dealing with the council.
As it stands now, our neighbours who sold us the land have said that if we need to we can rent the whole woodland of 45 acres so as just to shut the council up! They hate the council! The best bit is the rent - 1p per year!
Thanks again guys, we'll see what happens next.
TraceandAndy
#5
Posted 24 June 2010 - 10:41
surreydodger
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- Book Owners
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Agricultural Planning Advisory Service
- LocationWest Sussex
Good luck with your endeavours T&A 
and please keep us updated with how you get along.
For what its worth, if it were me, I'd feel quite comfortable to just put the pigs in the woodland along with the arks and then let the planners come to you. The most likely outcome is your'll never hear from them. If they do turn up, then make sure you ask them precisely which regulation it is that they believe you are contravening.
I don't think we've heard every bit of rubbish that planners come up with, but there are quite a few within the realms of this forum. You do have to have a bit of guile in dealing with planners as they are rarely fully conversant with the all of the rules. This is where you can win. Planners have to deal with a plethora of regulations that not even Stephen Hawkins could be fully conversant with, let alone understand. As you are dealing with just a small piece within the planning regs, it is easier for you to become an expert on those parts.
As I say, good luck and never give up
and please keep us updated with how you get along.For what its worth, if it were me, I'd feel quite comfortable to just put the pigs in the woodland along with the arks and then let the planners come to you. The most likely outcome is your'll never hear from them. If they do turn up, then make sure you ask them precisely which regulation it is that they believe you are contravening.
I don't think we've heard every bit of rubbish that planners come up with, but there are quite a few within the realms of this forum. You do have to have a bit of guile in dealing with planners as they are rarely fully conversant with the all of the rules. This is where you can win. Planners have to deal with a plethora of regulations that not even Stephen Hawkins could be fully conversant with, let alone understand. As you are dealing with just a small piece within the planning regs, it is easier for you to become an expert on those parts.
As I say, good luck and never give up
#6
Posted 24 June 2010 - 11:45
Groundhog
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Member
Is there any chance they thought you were going to be putting wild boar on the site because you would need a licence under the dangerous animals act,or maybe a public footpath !! The slurry is the environment agency anyway ! Maybe it was a cleaner who answered the phone when you called 
