PLANS have been lodged to modernise and expand a long-established Jersey dairy farm – including increasing herd numbers and replacing ageing buildings.
The application, lodged on behalf of Cowley Farm in St Saviour, proposes demolishing an existing machinery store and calf pens and replacing them with new facilities, alongside an extension to an existing hay store.
The works are essential to “modernise and future proof this established dairy farm”, which was established in 1921 and currently supports a herd of 240 cows and 170 youngstock, according to the application.
If approved, the development would also enable a modest increase in herd size to 265 cows, which the applicant says is necessary to make recent investment in the farm viable.
The proposal seeks to “demolish the existing machinery store and calf pens and construct new replacement machinery store and calf pens and extend the existing hay store”, according to a covering letter submitted with the application.
The planning statement argues that the improvements are needed following the installation of a new milking parlour, described as a “major investment” that requires the wider farm to be upgraded.
“The dairy farm at Cowley Farm requires modernisation,” the report states, adding that increasing herd size and updating buildings will ensure the operation remains financially sustainable.
Current farm buildings are over 50 years old and described as “in dire need of replacement”.
The applicant noted: “Profitability across the dairy industry has improved consistently in recent years due to increased yields per cow as a consequence of the importation of pure Jersey semen in 2008, matched with a consistent growth in added value export sales by Jersey Dairy.”
Cowley Farm, located in open countryside on La Rue du Pont, sits within the Island’s Green Zone, where development is tightly controlled.
However, the applicant argued that agricultural development is appropriate in such locations and complies with Island Plan policies.
“By their nature, dairy farms can only occur in the countryside,” the application said, adding that redevelopment within the existing farm complex “is justified and should be encouraged”.
A supporting business plan highlights the scale and history of the operation, noting that the herd has been developed over “three generations” and currently supplies more than 1.5 million litres of milk annually to Jersey Dairy.
It adds that recent upgrades have already improved productivity, including a new milking parlour which has reduced daily labour demands by the equivalent of nearly 1,500 hours a year.
Further planned improvements include better storage for machinery and feed, and new calf housing that will allow 50% more calves to be reared each year in an “optimum and efficient environment”.
The applicant also points to environmental measures within the scheme – including solar panels on the new building, biodiversity enhancements such as bird and bat boxes, and the retention and strengthening of hedgerows.
The development will support the rural economy and protect Jersey’s agricultural landscape, according to the plans, which state that “modernisation of this dairy farm will help to secure the continued proper management of the island’s historic agricultural landscape”.
All works would take place within the existing farmstead, with no loss of agricultural land and minimal impact on nearby homes.
