A recent planning meeting heard that the pair had not engaged in agricultural work since 1998

A Pembrokeshire couple who spent nearly three decades living in their farmhouse while violating planning rules have successfully secured the right to stay in their home.

Richard Evans, 63, and his wife Diane, 61, resided at their property in Dreenhill despite failing to meet the agricultural occupancy requirements attached to the dwelling.

Authorities received information that the pair had abandoned farming activities 28 years ago, breaching the conditions set when they received permission to construct the residence in 1994.

The original planning approval stipulated that the couple must work the surrounding land as a condition of their occupancy.

Their initial application in 1994 argued they needed to reside on site to oversee their farming operation, citing health issues that prevented them from living in a caravan.

Council officers had recommended rejecting the proposal due to doubts about the farm’s financial sustainability, though the planning committee ultimately approved it.

A recent planning meeting heard that neither Mr nor Mrs Evans had engaged in agricultural work since 1998.

Mr Evans earned his living as a self-employed builder involved with several local construction companies, while his wife ran a separate construction business from 1997 until 2018.

A couple has won a battle to live in farmhouse after living there illegally for 28 years

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Shortly after moving into Summerhill Farm Lodge, Mrs Evans disposed of the remaining suckler cattle and shut down a poly tunnel previously used for growing salad crops.

The couple requested that Pembrokeshire Council permit them to remain at their secluded property despite their prolonged breach of planning regulations.

They sought a lawful development certificate, a mechanism that allows residents to legitimise their occupancy when no enforcement action has been taken over an extended period.

Since nobody had lodged any complaints about the situation throughout the 28 years, the committee approved their application.

Richard Evans, 63, and his wife Diane, 61, resided at their property in Dreenhill, Pembrokeshire, for nearly 30 years

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The council determined that the property known as Redwood House had been occupied in violation of the agricultural occupancy condition for more than a decade continuously.

It argued that, on the balance of probability, the evidence supported granting the certificate.

The couple’s victory comes as the proportion of agricultural land held by tenant farmers in the UK has continued to decline.

According to the latest figures from Defra, the share of farmland under tenancy agreements has fallen to its lowest level in decades, with owner-occupiers increasingly dominant.

Critics say rising land values, increased competition from non-farming investors, and regulatory pressures have made it harder for new and existing tenant farmers to secure or retain productive holdings.

Tenant farmers, who once managed significant swathes of Britain’s arable and livestock sectors, now struggle to compete for sites against wealthier buyers able to offer full market rents.

The National Farmers’ Union has urged Westminster and devolved administrations to review agricultural tenancy laws, arguing that stronger protections and incentives are needed to keep working farmers on the land.

Without action, the union said, the trend could accelerate further, with implications for rural communities and the wider economy.