GSP’s agricultural clients for this case study own and rent 664 hectares of land in various locations across Kent. They are one of the largest independent growers of barriers in the UK.

Between 2018 and 2021 GSP worked with and on behalf of the client to initially obtain lawful development certificates and then planning permission for the stationing of 47 mobile homes on the holding, some of which are occupied on a seasonal basis and some occupied all year round as accommodation for the client’s workforce.

GSP also secured a Lawful Development Certificate in January 2020 for the client in relation to 13.5 ha of existing polytunnels located on the holding having demonstrated that they had been on the land in excess of four years..

Later that same year, the clients instructed GSP to work on a project involving the erection of a general purpose agricultural and storage building measuring 30m long by 15m wide. Permission was granted in July 2021. This allowed the consolidation and replacement of a number of containers and other structures housing irrigation pumping equipment.

GSP was then instructed to submit an application to extend an existing agricultural building used as a storage, cold store and pack house. This was located to the west of the building that was approved in 2021. Permission was granted that enabled the building to increase its length from 50m to 80m with a matching depth of 40m.

Most recently, GSP secured a further permission for the use of land to the south of the previously approved mobile homes site for seasonal agricultural workers to allow the siting of 20 further caravans for the same purpose.