A LOCAL farming family have been told that plans to create a reservoir on their land do not require planning permission as it lies within agricultural permitted development rights.

operated by the Drummond family, is located within the Parish of Walford, to the west of the small settlement of Coughton.

It is proposed that the excavation of material to create a balanced cut and fill irrigation reservoir, lined with clay will be engineered to hold water for irrigation.

The farming enterprise is primarily focused on soft fruit production, much of which is grown under polytunnels.

The site lies to the east of three large winter-fill reservoirs that serve the irrigation needs of the soft fruit business.

The proposed irrigation reservoir will cover an area of approximately 2.5 hectares and is similar in size and shape to the existing reservoirs. Its construction will follow the same approach, with a depth of 2.6 m and the excavated spoil used to form the surrounding banks. These bunds will be planted with grass, consistent with the existing reservoirs.

The three existing large reservoirs on the farm are already served by power, pump, and pipe infrastructure designed to distribute high-pressure water across the entire holding. The proposed additional reservoir will connect directly into this established system.

The application explains that the need for an additional reservoir arises from increasing weather unpredictability and the requirement to secure a reliable water supply, given current Environment Agency restrictions on summer abstraction.

The new reservoir will be filled during the winter months under a winter abstraction licence and supplemented by capture during periods of heavy rainfall.

The site is located within an area defined as ‘sensitive’ by virtue of being within the Wye Valley National Landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).

However, it lies adjacent to three existing large reservoirs and forms part of an established soft fruit enterprise.

The proposed reservoir will therefore not be seen or operated in isolation.

It is stated within the planning application that the justification for the proposed reservoir is to meet the needs of the irrigation requirements on the holding.

A Herefordshire planning officer stated that the proposed reservoir as outlined falls within agricultural Permitted Development rights with the officer adding that the development is clearly a large engineering development. However, there is no restriction on size for excavation or engineering works which are reasonably necessary for agriculture.

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