Plans to build temporary accommodation for farm workers on the Green Belt near Bray have been approved.

The site at Harefield Farm on the outskirts of Touchen End would see workers’ accommodation built next to an existing barn to allow easy access to livestock.

This cabin would have three bedrooms and would be built from timber with a bitumen felt-covered roof – but is only intended to stand for three years.

However, the site’s Green Belt location was a point of contention for planning officers, who noted that the proposal “does not constitute a form of development that the Local Planning Authority would normally permit”.

While their report notes that building such a home within the Green Belt would constitute “inappropriate development”, the needs of the holding justified the three-year temporary accommodation.

The report reads: “The proposed dwelling would enable the applicant to reside on the site full-time in order to support the steadily growing requirements of the holding and to ensure the essential need for animal welfare and security is consistently met.

“This is a significant material consideration which is considered to outweigh the harms of the proposal.

“As such, it is considered that planning permission for a temporary workers dwelling should be granted for a period of three years.”

The farm is run by the applicant on a full-time basis, which plans to operate three main enterprises – eggs, beef and pork.

A business plan shared alongside the planning application revealed plans to increase the quantity of relevant livestock on the site over the coming years.

There is also a herd of alpacas at the farm as guard animals to protect pasture-fed chickens against predators.

The plan noted: “The proposed temporary rural worker’s dwelling is to be sited adjoining the portal frame barn to ensure it is best placed to provide observation and attention for the livestock.”

Planning approval was granted on condition that the accommodation be removed from the site by September 22, 2026.

To find out more about this planning application, visit the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s planning portal with the reference 23/01822/FULL.