Plans For Hay Barn To Support Rare Breeds Refused Over ‘Visual Impact’ Concerns

Plans to build a new hay barn for rare breed animals at a farm near Alverstone have been turned down by the Isle of Wight Council — after planners ruled it would spoil views within the Isle of Wight National Landscape.

Farmer Richard Salter, who runs the well-known Oaklea Dairy in East Wight, had applied to put up a small timber-clad barn with a dark green roof to store hay and equipment for his growing collection of rare breed sheep, goats and cattle.

A statement from John Woolley Rural Property Consultants described Oaklea Dairy as a profitable, well-established farm, managing over 200 hectares of land and home to around 400 commercial cattle, alongside the rare breeds developed as part of a diversification project.

The new building, they said, would have helped store feed and welfare supplies for the animals, which are kept outdoors through the winter and rely on hay rather than silage.

However, planning officers refused the application, saying the barn’s location on rising ground would make it too visible and “detrimental” to the character of the protected landscape.

In their report, County Hall said:

“The proposed barn would be finished in natural timber cladding under a dark green roof — materials commonly used in rural buildings.

"However, its siting would increase its prominence within the designated landscape to an unacceptable level.”

While the proposal was considered sympathetic in design, planners concluded the setting and visibility of the barn meant it could not be supported.