One of the more unexpected assets held by Somerset County Council, is a small collection of farms. The land was originally held to help young farmers into farming by renting land instead of having to buy it. These days with bigger fish to fry, SCC regard it as a surplus asset to be sold off.
As we reported a couple of weeks ago, a parcel of land next to the A303 is now being sold off. The decision to sell has been taken by portfolio holder Mandy Chilcott. However alarm at the sale in the communities of Martock and Ash has caused the decision to be “called in”. This means the decision will be examined on 30 September by the “Scrutiny Committee for Place”.
We reported on this decision on 15 September. The papers for next week’s meetings reveal some interesting detail.
Firstly that the proposed sale is for an industrial site. The land is apparently being sold to Crewkerne motor manufacturer Arial Motors. Bearing in mind that this is open countryside with no nearby industrial sites, the decision raises serious questions. It is also hard to see how the decision ties in to SCC’s commitment to zero carbon. In fact the decision paper detailing the sale failed to mention it at all.
It begs the question is SCC serious about the moving towards being zero carbon by 2030. Putting an industrial site of open farm land with all the implications that brings raises serious questions. Contributing to increased car production also looks like a strange way of achieving zero carbon.
Questions have been raised about why the land was not put up for sale at auction. Were any other potential purchasers approached?
The paperwork suggests that a farmer had approached SCC looking to buy the land for farming. In fact to farm maize to feed the nearby Anaerobic Digester. Controversial as that may be, it is at least a source of green energy. So how does SCC justify selling to a motor manufacturer ahead of a farmer?
There are also questions to be asked about the price. Is this land being sold on the cheap? We have seen a similar situation with the sale of the Orchard Portman estate near Taunton. In papers submitted for the meeting it is stated the land is being sold at £15,000 an acre. That is barely a 50% uplift on agricultural land prices. If that is the case, why is this particular purchaser being offered a cut price deal?
Disgusting should never be allowed
SCC. Will not be happy until all council owned farmland is sold off for construction of some type , like unaffordable housing , they are selling them the family jewels far too cheaply with no thought for the future 😕
I suspect that Ariel will not be building a large factory – at 150 years old, they are almost a craft car company, a bit like Morgan. Currently based at Crewkerne, it could be that they are looking to have more modern facilities.
However, I am not saying that this should or should not go ahead.
The special school will be next door to the factory and that land is already allocated
I thought a special needs school was going in here. Has that piece of land been bought already? As for zero carbon … when China starts working towards it I’ll maybe think about it. And I don’t want an electric car thanks.
Joy: a zero carbon future is YOUR responsibility too.