Scrooges place Sheeplands at ‘risk of closure’
SCROOGES at the council have forced Santa to stay away from a local nursery and the site’s owners are now warning that the resulting confusion “could be enough to finish the business off”.
Hare Hatch Sheeplands had submitted a planning application to launch a temporary Chirstmas shop with space for a fundraising grotto, but they claim that Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) first refused to look at the application, then, after an appeal, pledged to consider it before changing its mind again.
The “delay and confusion” means that it’s now too late for Sheeplands to order Christmas stock and owner Rob Scott said that the lack of festive spirit from the council’s planning department places the business in jeopardy.
He added that the Christmas shop could have brought in enough money to save the business, and WBC’s decision is “vindictive” following a lengthy legal battle between the two parties over Sheeplands’ building on the green belt. The centre lost and has since complied with all of its planning requirements.
Mr Scott said: “In the past few years the council has created a situation where a perfectly lawful business that had been operating successfully for 25 years has been brought to its knees and is on the verge of closure.
“It has almost got to the point where the only way I can avoid personal bankruptcy and closure of the business is to accept one of the offers I have received from developers, or find an individual who is willing to buy the business and continue to run it.”
The most recent council action came after Sheeplands submitted an application on Tuesday, September 26. This sought temporary approval to use an area of retail space for the sale of ancillary nursery related items and Christmas items such as Christmas trees to help sustain the business during the off-season. Approval would also allow Father Christmas to make his popular annual visit to raise money for charity.
“It was a perfectly lawful and sound planning application that conforms to both local and national planning policy,” said Sheeplands owner Rob Scott. “To my shock and dismay the council refused to even consider it, when they had a choice to do so.
“My advisers then made contact with the council saying they believed its action was illegal and they would consider seeking a judicial review into what had happened.
“Following this the council issued a written apology and confirmed that it would, after all, consider the application.
“By the time it has spent council taxpayers’ money on seeking advice and then met to consider the application it will be too late for us to sell Christmas items,” he continued. “The loss of income from Christmas sales will put the business on the brink of collapse.
“We were misled by the council into believing that it would give proper consideration to our well-considered planning application which now seems to have been pre-judged even before being considered.”
“I have now had to make it clear to my employees that the way the council has behaved towards me over this recent application could be enough to finish the business off, close down an amenity much loved by local residents and throw even more people out of work.
“Despite all these problems we fully intend to put on a brave face and give our customers the best Christmas offering we possibly can.”
WBC’s executive member for planning and enforcement, Councillor Simon Weeks said: “Under S70C of the Town and Planning Act, the Council declined to determine the recent application to use part of the land for retail sales. The land owner’s solicitors have queried this decision, and so the Council is seeking further legal advice.
“Failure to comply with an enforcement notice is a criminal offence, and the land owner and other retailers have been previously charged as such. All the defendants have pleaded not guilty, and trial has been set for March 2018.
“To date, the land owner has lost every legal challenge and appeal and continues to owe thousands in court costs, which the
Council is pursuing.”