A LANGDON Hills farm has been granted retrospective planning permission to rent out a former agricultural building to local businesses — despite concerns raised by a neighbouring resident over noise.

Sutton Hall Farm in South Hill has diversified its operations in response to falling agricultural income, letting out part of a redundant farm building to a private gym and van repair businesses.

The site, which includes a mix of traditional and modern agricultural buildings, also supports equestrian activities.

The southern half of the 30m by 15m building is occupied by three self-employed van repairers, while the northern half houses Proven Gym, a private training facility offering one-to-one sessions and small group classes. Together, the businesses employ six people.

Planning officers recommended approval, stating: "The application does not result in additional impacts upon the openness of the green belt. The uses are considered acceptable alongside stated operational hours. Amenity impacts can be controlled by way of suitable conditions."

However, one objection was received from a nearby resident to the southwest of the site, who shares a boundary with the farm. They raised concerns about excessive noise from the van repairs and the impact on residential amenity.

While there is a degree of separation between the building and the shared boundary, officers acknowledged that vehicle repairs can be noisy. The southern side of the building includes a large roller shutter used for vehicle access, as well as a single access door.

In response, the council's Environmental Health Acoustics Officer recommended a condition requiring all doors to remain closed during van repairs to minimise noise disruption.

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Drainage and parking arrangements were also deemed satisfactory, with officers concluding that the proposal supports the ongoing agricultural use of the wider holding.

Ryan Wilkins, director of Proven Gym, said: "As a private training facility rather than a commercial gym, we do not permit unsupervised access. All sessions are pre-booked through our dedicated app, ensuring structured and organised training.

"Every new member undergoes an initial consultation and ability assessment before booking sessions."

He adds that the approval marks a win for small-scale rural diversification, allowing Sutton Hall Farm to continue supporting local employment while maintaining its agricultural roots.