An interesting couple of comments on Councillor Claire Wright’s blog in response to a post by EDDC Conservative Whip, Phil Twiss, who pointed out to a commentator that he had got the wrong property when questioning that disgraced ex-councillor Graham Brown was still farming when he said he all but gave it up more than 10 years ago:
…..”10. At 06:19 pm on 11th Sep Damien Mills wrote:
Sincere thanks to Cllr Twiss for pointing out my error.
On this occasion, he’s quite correct; I did, inadvertently, confuse Ware Farm with Ware Farm house. However, further investigation reveals Mr Brown’s property is on the market – but not for £385,000 as I had mistakenly thought but, rather, a cool £1,550,000:
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41090060.html
What is more, all my other points remain. So, essentially, it seems Mr Brown is looking to his friends at OSMTC / EDDC to help him secure the certificate of lawfulness without which it will, one assumes, be very difficult, if not impossible, for him to sell Ware Farm. That aside, it’s reassuring to know that Cllr Twiss is such an avid reader of this blog and will, of course, be duty bound to report back what he has learnt on here to the planning department at EDDC before it considers Mr Brown’s application.
Indeed, given the controversies surrounding Mr Brown, one must assume that Cllr Twiss and his fellow Tories will go the extra mile to ensure there can be no suggestion of any impropriety in the way EDDC deals with this application from their former colleague.
Once again, thanks for your help Phil, it really is very much appreciated!
11. At 08:19 pm on 11th Sep Sandra Semple wrote:
From the particulars:
“A barn with open yard area measuring 10m x 15m with a self filling trough provides ideal space for wintering young horses, there is an isolation stable measuring 3.6m x 3.6m in the corner of this barn.
The adjacent barn currently (sic) houses cattle and is 15m wide by 17m long and has a self filling water trough and an external feed trough along the short side of the building.
There is an open fronted 45m x 15m pole barn currently used for straw and hay. The field behind the house has a useful field shelter.”
Currently houses cattle? Agricultural business? Or just family pets?”
A correspondent mentions that the land may be sub-let – but surely, in that case, the owner would still be conducting an agricultural business.
East Devon Watch 
Self-filling trough eh? Who’d have thought it. Was it designed by EDDC?
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Neither Ware Farm or Ware Farmhouse are For Sale so the blundering correspondent referred to in this blog has inadvertently got it wrong not once but twice in true schoolboy error fashion. Click the link helpfully provided by said “overseas” blundering correspondent for confirmation. This where this property had been on the market some time ago.
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It appears to have been on sale in 2009 – well within the 10 years surely?
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According to the estate agents web site ( http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-41090060.html ) this property “could easily be run as a small farm”.
Which somewhat contradicts the documentation submitted with the application for the CoL in which Mr Brown’s expert consultant states “It is quite clear that the small amount of land which lies within the ownership of Mr Brown does not provide enough suitable land to undertake any traditional or less traditional activities which would show a functional need for a worker to be resident in the farmhouse.”
So which is it? “Could easily be run as a farm” or “too small to be a farm”?
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Aren’t estate agents obliged to tell the truth or risk prosecution and loss of their license?
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So, when is a farmer not a farmer? I bet EDDC will nod it through and close ranks as usual – Mr Twiss is already attempting damage limitation, though not at all successfully.
Clean, green, seen – not likely!
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If EDDC nod it through it will be a win for Mr Brown, but a major own goal for the Tory’s as it would be one “old boy’s network” favour which will taint them for a long long time.
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