A farmer has removed 16 ponies that were used for grazing on land where he was refused planning permission.
Chris Wilton sought planning permission to build a new family home in Rame Head, Cornwall, but saw his case rejected by the High Court. He has now removed the ponies claiming no one lived close enough to continue to look after them.
Now concerns are growing over the conservation of the area as the ponies were crucial to maintaining the land, which is classified as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).
What was the farmer hoping to build and why was permission refused?
Mr Wilton applied for planning permission in 2019 to build a two-storey home for his family in Rame Head.
The man claimed his family had used the land for farming for 100 years and in order to continue working there, he needed a new home.
Permission was initially granted in 2020 by Cornwall Council but complaints from locals forced the case to be looked at by the High Court where a judge retrospectively refused planning permission as it was claimed Cornwall Council’s planning committee had not followed the correct process.
Mr Wilton appealed the planning decision to the Government's planning inspectorate but this was also rejected due to the impact on Rame Head.
Farmer removes ponies that were used for grazing
In response to the rejected planning application, Mr Wilton has removed the 16 ponies from his land where they were used for grazing the preserved land.
Mr Wilton explained: "As farmers we take great pride in looking after the environment, so we were as disappointed as anyone else that the ponies are no longer on Rame Head, where they were used for conservation grazing.
"We were responsible for their welfare and one result of having our development proposals for the land turned down was that the facilities and people required to look after the ponies were not sufficiently close by, so unfortunately they had to go back to Dartmoor.
"You cannot oppose development on the one hand, and expect the landscape to continue to be managed as it always has been on the other – a balance has to be struck."
Concerns emerge over management of the land
The decision has concerned locals and the ponies were part of an attraction that drew tourists to the area, as well as maintaining the land.
Rame Head is an important nature reserve known for its unique wildlife and geological features. Grazing animals help manage this protected area. It's part of Mount Edgcumbe Country Park, which is managed by both Plymouth City Council and Cornwall Council. The park, a Grade I listed landscape, is open to the public and attracts about 250,000 visitors each year.
An MECP spokesperson said: "Both councils are aware that the tenant farmer has recently withdrawn the grazing stock from Rame Head and have requested him to restore grazing as soon as possible. "
"MECP is aware of the community interest in this issue and is negotiating with relevant parties to ensure appropriate land management of the site going forward."
Councillor Kate Ewert, who is the joint chair of the Mount Edgcumbe Joint Committee, said: "Sadly the ponies are not here currently. The tenant farmer decided to remove the ponies and we absolutely understand people's concerns about that.
"We understand how worried people are about the management of the Head without the ponies here. But ultimately how the farmer farms the land is down to the farmer and it's for Natural England, who are the designators of the SSSI, to manage that with the farmer."
The Rame Protection Group said: "If Mr Wilton doesn't want to maintain Rame Head with conservation grazing he should give it back to the owners, namely Cornwall Council and Plymouth City Council."
