Clarkson's Diddly Squat farm has new grain store approved

Jeremy Clarkson's farm has been granted permission for a new grain store to be built at the site.

West Oxfordshire District Council gave the TV presenter's planners the go-ahead for the new building in Chadlington, Oxfordshire.

The plans submitted to the authority said the farm had an "urgent need for additional grain storage".

A development scheme was submitted in September and accepted on 5 February, the Oxfordshire Independent reported.

The council said it did not need to give prior approval for the building, but that it had to be carried out "in accordance with the approved plans".

Another plan for food vending units, picnic tables, and parking was also accepted, following a successful appeal Clarkson made to the Planning Inspectorate last year.

Diddly Squat Farm is featured in the Amazon Prime Video documentary series Clarkson's Farm.

According to documents submitted to the council it now grows more than six different crops but storing them is becoming a problem.

"In the last two growing seasons the farm has produced winter milling wheat, durum wheat, spelt, winter barley, spring barley, winter oats, echium and oilseed rape," the letter explains.

"The absence of storage for the farm's crops significantly impacts the price realised by the farmer," it adds.

"In simple terms, they can only take the price on offer when the crop is taken, rather than wait and sell when the price is favourable.

"Third-party storage is also harder to find and costly."

It concludes that the building "will provide a useful addition to the modern innovative farming business that has food production at its core" and ensure a "more environmentally sustainable operation".

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