Jeremy Clarkson gets another planning contravention notice on farm shop

In his latest Times column, the TV personality sent a message to Boris Johnson, demanding that farmers shouldn’t have to jump through hoops in order to grow food.

He wrote: "I’m trying to farm. I’m trying to grow food. And you simply would not believe how many times every single day I come across another rule that says that I can’t."

He turned to the fact that West Oxfordshire District Council refused him planning permission for both a restaurant and an extension to his car park and farm track, and  added: “And now I have received a planning contravention notice on the shop.

“The planning officer wants to know, for instance, why I’ve installed a septic tank and what it’s for. And if I answer ‘recklessly’, saying it is for the storage of turds, I could be fined £5,000.

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“But this is the best bit: she says that, because we are providing seating and lavatories, the public is being ‘actively encouraged to visit and remain on site’.

“This is what farmers are up against. Planners who grant you permission to open a shop and then say you must not encourage people to visit it.”

The shop has caused ‘complete chaos’, according to locals, since the area has been swamped by fans of Mr Clarkson's hit show Clarkson's Farm.

WODC said as this is an ongoing enforcement case, it was unable to comment.

In December 2021 a West Oxfordshire District Council planning enforcement progress report confirmed a notice had been issued in order to obtain information about goods that are being sold from the farm shop which are limited by planning condition.

And it added that "officers are in discussions with the agent acting for the landowner in respect of various alleged breaches".

A planning report for the restaurant application also stated that enforcement investigations were on-going for non-compliance with a condition which said materials used for the roof of the shop needed to be approved by officials before work began.

Council planners wanted a more traditional - and expensive - slate roof fitted that was more in keeping with its Cotswolds surroundings.

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The farm shop was closed for two months in the winter to make the changes.

Mr Clarkson finished by saying Mr Johnson should introduce a ‘don’t be an arse’ rule so that he can get on with producing crops with ease.

"But it’s in farming that we need the new rule most of all. Because we are about to enter a very dangerous period. The rising cost of fertiliser, the war and the floods in America mean that a lot of people will soon start to go hungry.

"And we simply cannot allow arses to stop farmers trying to do something about it."

The broadcaster initially posted a video saying farmers had been asked to diversify their produce but were being restricted by local authorities.

Speaking from a field and wearing a high-visibility jacket, the Prime Minister responded by saying that he wanted farmers such as Jeremy to be able to develop their properties "when they want to turn a barn into a bistro – or whatever you want to do".

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