PLANS for a new steel framed agriculture barn in a Colchester village have taken a massive hit after being thrown out by council bosses.

Colchester Council has refused a development application for a steel framed barn with timber cladding in Fordham which was submitted in July.

In the initial blueprints, the applicant outlined the proposed barn would be used for breeding and rearing a rare breed of pigs, the Oxford Sandy and Black, to preserve the breeding line and harvest meat.

The applicant also highlighted their intention to breed and rear sheep to sell as either live young or for meat harvesting.

The proposed barn would have allowed the use of two sows and ten ewes at the relevant lambing and farrowing times from December through to April each year.

It would also have served as a secure place for the short-term keeping of animals needing to be separated, such as in the event of a medical condition.

The barn floor size of 60 ft x 40 ft had been calculated in order to allow for the storage of farm machinery, as a solution to keeping it outside in the elements.

Colchester Council planning bosses, however, have now refused permission for the development.

A spokesman for the authority said: “The agricultural unit is calculated as totalling less than five hectares in area, therefore the proposed development for the erection of a building for agricultural use is not eligible for assessment. 

“The information supplied as part of the application does not include sufficient or precise detail to refute the LPA’s calculation or assessment of ownership of the land or any additional land.”

Essex Highways, however, did not object to the proposals.

A spokesman added: “The public’s rights and ease of passage over Public Footpath No.04 and 05 (Fordham) and Public Foothpath No. 33 (Mount Bures) shall be maintained free and unobstructed at all times and there shall be no access for any construction activities from the footpath.”

Natural England declined to comment on the application while it was still ongoing.