A farmer is hoping to diversify by turning two shipping containers into a self-service farm shop.

Randal Strainge of Ducklington Farm, Witney, has applied to West Oxfordshire District Council for permission to sell frozen meat produced on the farm from the converted containers sited in the farmyard.

The farm shop will not be staffed and proposed opening hours are Monday to Saturday between 8am and 6pm and between 10am and 4pm on Sundays.

A planning and transport statement, prepared by Hextall Twiddy Ltd on behalf of J.E. Strainge and Sons, says: "It is envisaged that the development will offer a facility to complement the other uses within the complex including the Ducklington Farm bed and breakfast and camping and caravan site."

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The enhanced shipping containers will be clad in timber with a steel roof and will be sited within Ducklington Farm.

The yard is reached via a private access road from Coursehill Lane.

"As the applicant is already selling meat directly to the public from the farmhouse there will be no anticipated increase in traffic above existing levels", says the report.

"No changes to the highway are proposed and farm staff will be trained to observe caution when accessing and egressing the farm yard with priority to be given to non-farm traffic at all times."

In 2021, Mr and Mrs Strainge applied for planning permission for a large 273-square metre farm shop selling local produce, including meat from the Ducklington Farm complex, with a café and outdoor children’s play area.

Some 103 letters of support of the application were received - a number from people living outside of West Oxfordshire.

Most said the shop would boost the local economy and could become a tourist attraction.

But the application was refused because of the proposed retail unit's "siting, design, scale and location".

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It was also refused on the grounds it wouldn't stock enough local produce.

Because the goods would be supplied from a 30-mile radius, planners said would not sell enough produce from the farm or farms "in the immediate vicinity" and was, therefore, not in accord with the local plan. 

West Oxfordshire District Council’s Lowlands Area Planning Sub-Committee also found that the proposed development would have "a visually intrusive and harmful impact on the open rural character and appearance of the site". 

For more information see the planning application online using the reference 23/01633/PDET28 on the West Oxfordshire District Council planning portal.