Tara Dexter, a widow in Sidlesham, West Sussex, has been ordered by the Planning Inspectorate to dismantle a smallholding she created on a plot of land she purchased for £57,000. The site, which she bought while grieving the loss of her partner, Gary, was a derelict area filled with car parts and rubbish.
Over two years, Ms. Dexter transformed the land into a micro-farm featuring plants, pigs, chickens, and attracting wildlife such as deer and buzzards. Raised beds have been planted, peacocks are kept on the farm, and a willow igloo was constructed. The smallholding has also been used by children from a nearby primary school for outdoor activities and by disabled children who visit to assist with the land.
The dispute arose when Chichester District Council objected to a container and sheds on the property, citing breaches of countryside planning rules. Despite Ms. Dexter's efforts to make the structures blend with the environment, her application for retrospective planning permission was denied. An appeal to the Planning Inspectorate also failed, resulting in a four-month deadline to remove the structures.
Ms. Dexter expressed frustration, stating, "It's absolutely ridiculous. It seems the council and planners would rather have a fly-tipped wasteland than a managed smallholding." She highlighted that surrounding plots contain neglected fly-tipping and abandoned structures that have not drawn similar enforcement action from the council. She also noted that the same council had previously provided her with nearly £3,000 in grants to plant hedgerows and trees on the land.
According to the council's statement, the planning application for the container was refused in 2024 due to conflicts with policies protecting the countryside and because the site is located within a floodplain. The Planning Inspectorate concluded that the container was harmful to the rural setting and that the demonstrated functional needs for welfare, storage, and educational visits could potentially be met in less intrusive ways.
Ms. Dexter, 57, stated that the micro-farm project was a significant factor in helping her cope with the grief of losing her partner, Gary, to cancer. She described the land as her "lifesaver." The order to dismantle the farm means she may be forced to sell the property, as she cannot continue working the land without the container and sheds.
The Planning Inspectorate's decision requires the removal of the metal container building, two timber buildings, four timber planters, concrete hardstanding, concrete plinths, and all associated debris.