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I haven't read it in its entireity yet but from what I have, the jist is that if you keep animals (farm, pet or whatever) then you are wholly responsible for their welfare. Nothing really new in that alone but the Act makes it quite clear that if you do not take every reasonable step to ensure the well being of your animals, then you are prosecutable.
In the Act ( 4- Unnecessary suffering. (1)( b.) ) it states
A person commits an offence if he knew, or ought reasonably to have known, that the act, or failure to act, would have that effect or be likely to do so.
This lends some weight to the argument that by living on site with your animals you can offer the best form of care whilst they are in your charge.
Look at this the other way around. If you do not live on site, are you providing your animals with the best possible care? Obviously not, if by living on site would provide them with a better standard of welfare.
The Act in its entireity is loong and tedious like most legal decrees but it is worth scanning through the first half or so for a lot of useful legal titbits that can be added in to your planning arguments for living on your land whilst working it with animals.
As the Act expects pets to be treated as farm animals, I'm sure there is a host of debates to be contemplated from that
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