Bennetts Farm plan to build new wedding venue at Manor Farm hit with delay

Bennetts Farm wanted to build a new single-storey modern barn building with outdoor seating at Manor Farm off Malvern Road to be used as a venue for a range of events including weddings, wakes, markets and workshops.

The plan looked set to be approved after a plea for it to be voted down was rejected but Worcester City Council's planning committee was forced to defer over the plans for car parking differed during debate to those submitted as part of the application.

As the plans for car parking differed, the highways department at Worcestershire County Council was forced to remove its recommendation and the planning committee had to defer.

Several neighbours had raised objections over noise when the plan was submitted.

Frustrated neighbour Mark Freeman said he regularly let out a “sigh of despair” when he was met with loud noise when pulling up on his drive and often said he wished he was not coming home, when speaking to the city council's planning committee on Thursday (August 22).

Mr Freeman said he had made several complaints to the farm over noise and smoke from the nearby glamping site and said there would be no way the farm could completely stop noise from the new events building when it was hosting a wedding or other large event as existing measures to cull noise were “woefully inadequate."

Tristan Bennett, manager of Bennetts Farm, said it would be a “real missed opportunity” if the expansion was rejected.

Councillor Alan Amos, who represents Bedwardine, said there was no local support for the farm’s expansion. He said the farm should be allowed to diversify but the wellbeing of its neighbours should also be taken into account.

Cllr Amos called for the plan to be refused but that plea was rejected. Cllr Amos said it was a “tragedy” the concerns of neighbours were not being considered.

Cllr Roger Berry said he did not want to “use a sledgehammer to crack a nut” and did not support a call to completely refuse the plan.