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Smallholding bus couple given marching orders





In May, applicant Zoe Wilson, backed by Lambourn parish council chairman Dr Peter Cox, won over West Berkshire Council’s western area planning committee.
As a result, planning officer Derek Carnegie, who had strongly urged refusal, vowed to refer the matter up to last Wednesday’s (July 11) district planning committee.
For years, Zoe Wilson and partner Chris Webb, who live in a converted, double decker bus, have been forced by planning law to stay on the move in the Lambourn area.
Then, hard-earned savings and an inheritance enabled them to buy a five acre paddock off the M4 near Membury Services.
After they cleared the area of weeds and brambles, they acquired cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, ducks and geese and dug a large, raised veg patch to complete their smallholding.
Power is generated by a small turbine, they planned a composting toilet and their ethically reared produce is popular with many local people.
The application was for temporary, three-year permission.
Mr Carnegie said: “I shouldn’t call this ramshackle, that’s too deragotory, but....”
He insisisted that “maintaining and enhancing the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) is of paramount importance.”
Dr Cox told the meeting: “This venture is of benefit to our local community and we wholeheartedly support it.”
He stressed points he made at the previous meeting when he said: “I and many others buy her meat because of her extremely high ethical welfare standards and you can taste the difference. The locals are very much in favour of this, even though a bus in the AONB is not something Lambourn people would normally support. We haven’t had a single complaint about the bus.”
He said the couple’s low carbon, self-sufficient lifestyle should be encouraged for the future.
Ms Wilson said: “The general public have shown a high level of support - they want local food and they think raising chickens under broody hens is fantastic. I will never apply for permanent planning permission as I’m against housing in the AONB.”
Tony Vickers (Lib Dem, Nortchroft) said: “We should support the transition to a low carbon future. It’s in the spirit of localism and the parish of Lambourn supports it wholeheartedly. - there’s not a single objection from local people. We would be doing the community and the planet a service.
“If we refuse this we will be killing a laudable business for no good reason.”
However at least one member had had a recent change of heart since May: Hilary Cole (Con, Chieveley), who told the previous meeting she wished the venture “every success,” now opposed it.
She said: “This could open the floodgates.”
Anthony Stansfeld (Con, Kintbury) did not agree supporters’ contention that Ms Wilson’s austere, hard working lifestyle would deter frivolous applications and said granting it could cause a “potential nightmare.”
Paul Bryant (Con, Speen) agreed: “This could encourage ribbon development.”
The recommendation for refusal was carried, with only Mr Vickers voting to support Ms Wilson.












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