“Buy land because they’ve stopped making it”, so said Mark Twain. Well SDC have done just that, all 144.147 Hectares or 357 Acres at Otterpool Lane Sellindge for £5.2 million.
Now it has been rumoured that the Chief Executive Officer of SDC James Alistair Stewart has been seen striding across his new acreage in green hunter wellies yelling at anyone who will listen “Get off my Land.” while holding a 12 bore shotgun. That’s a joke. Seriously though SDC intend to lease the land. They will possibly lease it back to the former owners. So for now the land will not be developed.
One of things SDC may well be entitled to do is claim the Basic Payment Scheme. This is a subsidy given to farmers and non-farmers – such as SDC by the EU. As of 2015 is typically worth approximately £181.81 per hectare, per annum. An income then of £26,207.84 per year, if they decide to claim it.
The land had to be purchased via what is called SDC’s Capital Reserves. As of the 31 March 2015 the balance on that reserve was £6.8m so the land purchase has used up a significant chunk of that.
What will eventually happen to the land is anyone’s guess at the moment as SDC are holding their cards close to their chest.
In the meantime, if you see a bald man about 5 foot ten inches, slightly pot bellied, striding across the land on Otterpool lane shouting, to anyone who will listen, “Get off My Land” we’d ask you to treat him kindly, not because he might be holding a 12 bore shotgun, but because now that he is the proud owner of 144.147 hectares, he may be of the thinking he has just joined the Landed Gentry and possibly having ideas above his station.
lets not forget this is tax payers money. they might not be able to claim single farm payment as not active farmers.they also need to buy the entitlements to go on the lane. councillor jenny hollingsbee has already guaranteed this will stay as agricultural land. with them paying over the odds for this ground its hard to see how the tax payer will come out of this.
Well done Boys. Now you have made this public I confidently expect that not many days will pass before Shepway publish details of this aquisition before the Press hound them.
I am aquainted with Alistair Stewart’s concept of legality. My advice would be to keep clear of this parcel of land for your own safety.
Purely a personal observation you should understand.
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lets not forget this is tax payers money. they might not be able to claim single farm payment as not active farmers.they also need to buy the entitlements to go on the lane. councillor jenny hollingsbee has already guaranteed this will stay as agricultural land. with them paying over the odds for this ground its hard to see how the tax payer will come out of this.
Mr Stewart will need to declare himself an “active farmer” to claim BPS [page 4], and he might qualify just by mowing the grass. If Farmer Stewart leases the land, for ag purposes then I believe his tenant will want to claim BPS [page 14]. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/406452/BPS_Handbook_-_final_v1.0.pdf
Well done Boys. Now you have made this public I confidently expect that not many days will pass before Shepway publish details of this aquisition before the Press hound them.
I am aquainted with Alistair Stewart’s concept of legality. My advice would be to keep clear of this parcel of land for your own safety.
Purely a personal observation you should understand.