We are in the middle of a planning application for a rural workers dwelling on the family 250 acre farm. The land includes a farmhouse (not tied) that the current farmers (my mother and father in law) live in. They are winding down to retirement and do less and less on the farm.

We (the son and family) along with managing the arable farm also run an equestrian business on site; we have over 30 horses on site many on full care livery. Our planning application has been independently appraised and this verified there is “an essential need” for us to be on site, but there is a hurdle that the council believe the current farmhouse could be extended to suit our needs. We are looking for some guidance to counter this argument.

The house is a few hundred years old and may not take to building works, while the current occupiers (parents) also do not wish for the upheaval and stress of significant building works. The cost is also prohibitive, and there are very old structures surrounding the house that would have to be demolished or risk being damaged. Also the property isn’t necessarily going to be passed on to the future farmer since their are other children and grandchildren to consider in succession for this particular house.

My question is whether there is anything else we need to consider to put forward our case that extending this farmhouse is not a viable option? This seems to be our final hurdle…no other objections from highways, ecology, parish, and neighbours otherwise.