FLEDGLING farmers Christopher Drewett and Veronica Bowden fear they could be forced out of business after becoming embroiled in a lengthy planning wrangle with West Somerset Council.

The pair moved into a mobile home on land owned by Ms Bowden's father to care for their herd of alpacas without planning permission and are facing eviction from the site before the end of the month.

A retrospective application for permission to retain the mobile home at West Shute Farm, Huish Champflower, was refused by the district council and a subsequent appeal was thrown out by a Government planning inspector in 2008.

A second application to retain an agricultural building and access track, together with temporary permission for the mobile home, also failed to win the support of district councillors last year, despite being recommended for approval by the authority's planning officers.

Now the couple is waiting to hear the outcome of a third application for the retention of the mobile home, barn and track to enable them to care for their 22-strong herd of alpacas and newly acquired 250 chickens.

But although a decision is likely to be made by the district council before the end of September, there is no guarantee their application will be successful and the couple is now facing court action to force them to remove the mobile home from the site.

Mr Drewett said he was confident the enterprise had met all the necessary criteria to secure a temporary planning permission for the mobile home but he remained worried about the future.

"The worst case scenario is that we'll be thrown off and if we get another winter like the last two and no-one is here to care for the animals, there will be no-one to feed them and they will starve.

"Alpacas need feeding daily and they don't like snow anyway.

"We've spent two years building up the business and are now selling free range eggs locally as well.

"Every time I look at a list of planning applications, all I see is approval for swimming pools, barn conversions and menages - every agricultural application seems to be turned down."

In order to secure planning permission, Mr Drewett, 41, and Ms Bowden, 42, have to prove there is a functional need for them to live on site, that their business is financially viable and that the mobile home will not harm the surrounding landscape or amenity of any neighbours.

District council planning officers said the pair had met the functional and financial criteria at the time of their second application last year and believed the mobile home could be screened to reduce its visual impact.

Councillors disagreed and raised concerns about the couple's finances and the impact of the mobile home on the countryside.

Mr Drewett said the business was expanding and he had received more than 50 letters from local people supporting their bid to set up home on the land.

"We started with 3.4 acres in the Brendon Hills, that has now grown to 15 acres with more land available from Veronica's father, a retired farmer, who has slowly been handing over his remaining land to his daughter to aid the business.

"Living in a mobile home on the farm with no mains electricity, we survived the coldest two winters for years.

"Yet now we face closure because of a planning dispute over the mobile home."

Stacey Beaumont, West Somerset Council's media and public relations officer, confirmed the couple had submitted three retrospective planning applications, two of which had been refused and the third was still outstanding.

She said: "The applicants appealed to the independent Planning Inspectorate against a previous refusal and subsequent enforcement action against the illegal siting of the home.

"The inspectorate found in the authority's favour and required the home to be removed within a year.

"The year expired on June 25 and we did not receive their latest planning application until July 14.

"Court action will not commence until September 17 allowing the applicant further time to remove the unauthorised mobile home within this time period."

She said the authority had no choice but to take the couple to court: "To take no action would flout planning legislation and set a precedent whereby homes could be sited anywhere without permission.

"Any current or future application for the site will be decided in the normal way, which is on its own merit and without prejudice."

Mr Drewett and Ms Bowden had lodged a second appeal against the council's refusal to grant permission, but claimed they withdrew after the district authority "changed its reasons" for refusal just weeks before the hearing.

Ms Beaumont said the council disputed the allegation "as the evidence was not new and it was provided on time".

Photo: Steve Guscott