An agricultural building said to be no longer fit for purpose will be given a new lease of life after a decision by Fareham planning chiefs.

Applicant Nick Baird, along with his parents Basil and Maureen, sought a change of use for a vacant 1,175 square-metre agricultural building at Newlands Farm, Stroud Green Lane, between Fareham and Stubbington.

The Fareham Borough Council planning meeting on July 10 heard that part of the building - 1,025 square metres - already had consent to be used for light industry, storage or distribution.

It has been vacant for several years and permission is needed so the rest of the building can be brought back into use and leased out for the farm’s diversification.

Mr Baird said: “The last bit of the building is not considered by supermarkets, good enough to store food in any more because of the age of the material and shape of the buildings.”

The permission granted allows for more parking spaces, a widening of access for lorries and changes to the public right of way footpath.

Car parking spaces will increase by 16 from 29 to 45, and there will be four disability spaces and three lorry spaces. There will be 12 cycle spaces and four motorcycle spaces.

The working hours of the building are 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 7am to 1pm on Saturdays.

There were nine written letters of objection and a verbal objection from the current owners of Newlands Farm House - the nearest neighbour.

They were concerned about the increased activity bringing noise and light pollution and more parking against the garden wall boundary.

Written concerns include noise and light pollution and their impact, screening of the existing buildings, provision for barn owl boxes, highway traffic movement and the footpath and safety concerns between lorries and other users of the route.

Mr Baird said his father Basil bought Newlands Farm in 1961 and was born in Newlands Farm House. He said Newlands Farm grew wheat, barley, many other crops and pigs sold to supermarkets, the local community and through the Baird farm shop “back in the good old days”. 

In order to maintain a diverse farming portfolio the buildings need to be of standard to be leased.

Mr Baird said when the farm was at its peak it “employed 24 full-time staff, 16 tractors operating two trucks and forklifts seven days a week with no working time restrictions”.

The owners will be advertising to lease the agricultural building with a total of 2,200 square metres of floor space. It is part of a group of former agricultural buildings that are portal framed and clad in profile metal/fibre cement cladding.