‘Off-grid’ couple told home plan would harm green belt

REMOTE FARMHOUSE NEEDS VITAL WORK, THEY TELL COUNCILLORS

A COUPLE living completely ‘offgrid’ in a remote farmhouse on the moors have been denied permission to construct a utility building because it would be ‘harmful’ to the green belt.

They had taken on the dilapidated Edge End Farm in Greenfield, Saddleworth, as a restoration project and ‘sympathetically’ converted it into a new dwelling.

The building, which is on White Brook Lane and sits below the local ‘Pots and Pans’ landmark, had been empty since the 1950s and was a ‘leap of faith,’ Alaster Rigby told councillors.

They had now applied to build a new outbuilding which would function as a garage and shed, with a subterranean level for three water storage tanks and solar panels on the roof. A diesel generator and snow-moving equipment would also be stored there.

Mr Rigby explained that they are located half a kilometre from the nearest Tarmac road and needed to make sure they had ‘absolute necessities.’ “Edge End is possibly the most isolated house in the area,” he said.

“We live completely off-grid with no mains utility services whatsoever. In order to achieve this, essential equipment is required – we just can’t do without it.

“When it snows we

Alaster Rigby get ten-foot drifts and when the moor was on fire it was a bit frightening as we only had 50 gallons of water.” Officers explained that the application was recommended for refusal because it amounted to unacceptable development in the green belt. But Conservative councillor John Hudson disagreed, telling officers: “I don’t remember a situation that has arisen where so many hundreds of people have contacted me saying this is ridiculous. I’ve spotted that run-down place for years and I’ve prayed that someone would come along and somebody has come along and sympathetically done it.”

But interim head of planning, Sean Hannaby added: “As it stands it’s unacceptable.” Four councillors voted to approve the application, but the rest of the committee rejected it on officers’ advice.