Your Farm Has Development Potential That the Planning System Can Unlock. Most Farmers Never Use It.

How It Works

We identify the right route — Some diversification schemes fall under Class R permitted development. Others need full planning. We tell you which route fits your scheme and what the realistic prospects look like before you spend money on architects or surveys.

We build the case around the farm — A diversification application that succeeds is one the council understands. We explain how the scheme supports the farm business, why the site is appropriate, and how it fits the NPPF and local plan policy framework.

We submit and manage — We handle the council, the officer, any consultee objections, and the conditions to decision.

What counts as farm diversification?

Farm diversification is the development of non-agricultural income-generating activities on a farm holding alongside the existing agricultural enterprise. It includes glamping and camping; farm shops and farm-gate retail; holiday lets and short-term accommodation; wedding and events venues; commercial lettings of redundant buildings; equestrian facilities; light industrial uses; and renewable energy installations. Each type has its own planning considerations and the right route matters.

Class R: the overlooked commercial conversion route

For farmers with redundant agricultural buildings, Class R of Part 3 of the GPDO is the first diversification route to look at. Since the May 2024 amendments, the floor area cap has doubled to 1,000 sq.m and the range of permitted commercial uses has expanded to include the full Class E use class alongside retail, light industrial, training and outdoor recreation.

Class R changes the use of the building. It does not authorise structural alterations. If the building needs significant work to be fit for purpose, full planning will be needed for the structural element. But establishing the principle of commercial use under Class R is a fast and relatively low-cost step that de-risks the project before any capital is committed.

Full planning for diversification schemes

Where Class R does not cover the scheme — glamping pods, a purpose-built farm shop, a wedding barn conversion — full planning permission is required. The relevant policy framework is NPPF Chapter 10, which supports a prosperous rural economy, read alongside local plan policies on rural economic development and tourism.

The key to a successful diversification application is framing. The scheme needs to be presented in the context of the farm's economic viability, the sustainability of the proposed activity, and its contribution to the local rural economy. A poorly framed application reads as speculative commercial development. A well-framed one reads as a farm adapting to survive — which is precisely what the NPPF intends to support.

What our diversification team does for you

We look at your whole holding, not just the building or field you have in mind, and test each option against the sustainability, highways, landscape and heritage policies the council will apply before you commit time or money. We prepare and submit the application, write the agricultural and economic justification the council needs to see, and deal with the case officer where conditions or concerns come up. Where full planning is not the right route, we tell you plainly whether a Class R or other permitted development option would get you there faster.

Not sure which route your idea needs? Start with our guide to choosing the right planning route, or see how the routes compare for barn conversions.

Why farmers choose a specialist consultant

Foxes Rural holds a 95% approval rate across our agricultural planning work, and our team is RICS and CAAV qualified, giving us a surveying and rural practice background that many generalist consultancies do not have. We work on fixed fees agreed before we start, and we run what we believe is the largest dedicated agricultural planning pipeline in England, so we see how councils treat farm shops, glamping, holiday lets, wedding venues, equestrian schemes and rural workspace applications every month, not just occasionally.

Farm diversification planning across the UK

We advise farm businesses diversifying in counties including Devon, Somerset, Wiltshire, Herefordshire, Shropshire, Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, County Durham, Kent and Norfolk, and our team regularly attends county shows including the Great Yorkshire Show, the Royal Three Counties Show and the Suffolk Show to talk to farmers about what their land and buildings could support.

How we compare

Farmers researching a farm diversification planning consultant will also come across firms such as Savills, Dudley Peverill, Brown & Co and ADAS. These are established names in rural land management, but diversification planning is often one service among many for a large land agency. Foxes Rural's focus is narrower and deeper: we are rural planning consultants first, measuring our success by the diversification schemes we get approved for working farms, and the same team stays with you from first idea through to decision.

What Foxes Rural handles for farm diversification

• Glamping, camping and holiday accommodation — including permanent structures, shepherd's huts and glamping pods
• Farm shops and farm-gate retail — planning, conditions and ongoing advice
• Wedding and events venues — full planning, conditions management and S73 variations
• Commercial barn conversions under Class R
• Equestrian development — manèges, stabling, changing facilities and associated access
• Light industrial and workshop lettings from redundant buildings
• Agricultural holiday accommodation subject to planning history

Frequently asked questions

Do I need planning permission for glamping pods on the farm?
Almost certainly, yes. Glamping pods are development. They require either a caravan site licence (for certain types of unit) or full planning permission, or both. The question of whether seasonal use affects the planning position depends on the specific proposal and the local plan. We advise at the consultation.

Can I use Class R for a farm shop?
Potentially. Class R permits change of use to retail, which includes farm shops. The building must have been in agricultural use on or before 3 July 2012. The floor area cap is 1,000 sq.m. The process is a prior approval application to the council. We assess whether Class R fits your specific building and proposed use before advising on this route.

What if the local plan doesn't support farm diversification?
NPPF paragraph 84 gives national policy support for rural economic development and farm diversification. Local plan policies cannot simply exclude it. Where there is tension between local policy and national policy, we build the case around the NPPF. It is not unusual to succeed on diversification applications in areas where local plan policies are restrictive, if the application is properly argued.