Glee-i-e-i-o!

VICTORY . . . farmer Ben Lancaster

Ben can keep his urban farm
Council loses fight to get it closed

A PENSIONER has won his battle to keep an urban farm the council ordered him to close.

A planning inspector has granted permission for Lancaster Park and Animal Farm in Chadderton following a two-day hearing.

Ben Lancaster (72) fulfilled a lifetime’s dream when he opened the farm near Mills Hill Station to visitors in 2011. Its horses, goats, sheep, birds and other animals had 13,000 visitors, including school parties, between March and September 2012.

Oldham Council said the attraction, on green belt land, didn’t have planning permission and issued an enforcement notice ordering Mr Lancaster to close and return the land to its previous state.

But in allowing Mr Lancaster’s appeal, Inspector John Braithwaite said: “The buildings on the land are appropriate facilities for outdoor recreation and don’t constitute inappropriate development in the green belt.

“These buildings and the keeping and display of animals for recreation and education doesn’t materially affect the character or ecology of the green belt.”

The farm can open to visitors from 9am-9pm any day.

Mr Lancaster’s daughter Lily helps to run the farm with her two brothers. It is closed for the winter and will reopen in the spring.

She said: “We have been worrying about this over Christmas. It is more than relief. It has been a heavy burden on my dad and he is over the moon.

“This has been his dream. He loves showing children and people the animals and passing on his knowledge and skills. We have had a lot of support.”

People have been leaving messages of congratulations on the farm’s Facebook page.

One person said: “What a great start to the New Year... you deserve it.”

Another added: “Well done, the kids will love coming back.”