PERMISSION has been granted to allow 33 metres of hedgerow to be removed from a farm site in Churchstanton.

PA & AC Grabham applied to Somerset Council to remove the hedge at Yeo Hill Farm which is positioned between an existing agricultural farm building and a livestock and machinery access track.

The application states that the removal was requested because the hedgerow limits manoeuvrability of machinery, the hedgerow harbours vermin, and removing the hedgerow would assist in maintaining better biosecurity standards.

Mrs Brooke, on behalf of PA & AC Grabham, said in the application: “The hedgerow is isolated within a developed farmyard setting, bounded by buildings and a farm track.

“As such, it provides limited wildlife connectivity or ecological value compared with field boundary hedgerows.”

Churchstanton Parish Council neither supported nor objected to the application but requested that new hedgerow is planted elsewhere on the farm to replace the loss of wildlife habitat.

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Conditional approval was granted.