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A popular farm shop which was blocked from selling royals, wonders and other Genuine Jersey goods due to Planning red tape will finally be allowed to do so – after a huge victory for “common sense” yesterday.
While officials had determined that St Brelade’s ‘Me and the Farmer Shop’ should not be allowed to expand their range to include other local products, that decision was unanimously overturned by the Planning Committee.
Jono and Jenny Hackett’s pigs, poultry and shop at Brooklands Farm along Route des Genets has been a familiar part of the St Brelade landscape for many years.
But when the family's application to upgrade their busy trailer store, which originally opened just two days a week, to a fuller farm shop was granted in 2020, they were slapped with a restriction on selling anything other than their own produce.
Pictured: Brooklands Farm owner Jon Hackett photographed in August 2020. (Rob Currie)
In hopes of expanding their range, an architect wrote to Planning on their behalf in November to ask if Brooklands Farm would be able to sell seasonal fruit and veg, Jersey Dairy products, local artisan breads and homemade chutneys, jams and honeys and a planning application was submitted in January, triggering an uphill bureaucratic battle.
Islanders rallied behind a campaign to cut the red tape, with more than 1,000 signing a petition, while 76 added comments of support to the application, arguing that it was an important way to "support local".
Pictured: Kate Hackett, daughter of pig farmer Jon Hackett, ran a half-marathon last year after her father suffered a stroke in November 2023.
Among them was Alan Merry, who said he had been a supporter of the "excellent" local business since it started, commented: "It should be actively supported by all areas of Government, including Planning."
Calling for approval "without further debate or delay", he added: "I cannot understand why common sense doesn't prevail... Planning should be using their powers and good judgement to actively support this business and others like it, rather than letting petty bureaucracy get in the way of this business's growth and success."
St Brelade Deputy and Assistant Minister Moz Scott also threw her weight behind the Hackett family.
Pictured: St Brelade Deputy and Assistant Minister Moz Scott supported the proposal.
She said that their proposal "offers a local economic benefit to other local businesses by providing an outlet for their products close to bus stops serving one of the most popular beaches in the island. Consequently, the application also provides a benefit to our local visitor economy".
But the Planning Department still recommended refusal.
While they acknowledged that the Island Plan contains policies supporting development of the rural economy, officers wrote in a report: "This is not the reasoning for the variation of the condition, where in this instance the desire to sell has come from customer requests."
They continued: "The products that are proposed to be sold have no direct relevance to the site and could be sold anywhere. While this may be seen as a minor issue, it changes the principle of the original consent and we must be mindful that this type of new development would be resisted in other Green Zone areas.
"The retail unit is relatively small and was introduced purely for the products of Brooklands Farm. By introducing a range of products you would typically see in the larger farm shops such as Rondels or Holme Grown, the development detracts from its primary use and could eventually put pressure on the site to keep expanding, which is not appropriate within this Green Zone site."
Yesterday, the matter was put before the Planning Committee – a panel of politicians tasked with assessing major and contentious applications – and all agreed that the application should be approved, against the recommendation of the department.
Pictured: Kate Hackett celebrates with her "dream team" of supporters following the planning committee decision yesterday.
Connétable of Trinity and Planning Committee chair Philip Le Sueur said: "The committee agreed that overturning the Department recommendation and allowing this small business the opportunity to offer, within a restricted area of the existing building, a range of locally produced products would complement and support the existing farm holding, was appropriate in terms of its size and location, meeting the criteria for diversification in our rural economy.
"Judging by the level of public support for this application, hopefully, both the Hackett family and their customers will be delighted."
Jenny Hackett said she was "relieved" that the proposal was finally approved.
"The impact on our business has been extensive as it took so much time to go through so much red tape to finally apply for permission to sell other Genuine Jersey products," she explained.
"The overwhelming support of our loyal customers and people who have come in and added their names to our petition purely because they liked what they saw and wanted to support us meant we definitely felt the love.
"We have wasted no time in contacting numerous Genuine Jersey producers to stock our shop with Jersey royals, Jersey wonders Jersey ice cream, fresh Jersey-grown fruit and vegetables and Artisan bread.
"We hope we can arrange to get this pre-ordered so that our customers can come and collect the loaves and we can not have any waste if not sold.
"My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has taken the time to support us as a small family-run business and continued to see my husband's legacy carry on."
Moz Scott, Deputy of St Brelade, said she was "very pleased" that the application was successful and thanked those who expressed support.
"It is not just a benefit to the business but also to other local producers who don't have access to supermarkets and will now have a new outlet in St Brelade for their goods.
"I welcome the decision made by the Planning Committee as it is a positive for the farming sector."
Pictured: Jersey Hospitality Association Co-CEO Marcus Calvani supported the Hackett family.
During the process, the Hackett family were supported by Jersey Hospitality Association Co-CEO Marcus Calvani, who was present at yesterday's Planning Committee meeting at St Paul's.
"So pleased we got there today and that common sense prevailed from our planning appeals panel," he said on social media following the decision.
"I'd like to thank all of the members of the panel for unanimously overturning this decision.
"We should never have all had to be there to begin with, but it's now done and a fantastic relief for a family of local farming champions and I'm sure a lot of very happy piggies!"
The Hacketts also received the backing of the Genuine Jersey Products Association throughout the process with Tony Le Brun from the management board attending the Planning Committee meeting yesterday.
Pictured: Genuine Jersey chief executive John Garton.
Genuine Jersey CEO John Garton said he was "very pleased" with the decision made at the meeting, saying It will enable the farm shop to offer wider services to their customers.
"It is really fantastic news and good to see the Government demonstrating their support for the farming sector," he said.
Sharing the news with customers on Facebook, the Brooklands Farm team shared their excitement for what lies ahead and teased new products coming soon to a warm reception from followers.
Among the scores of commenters was Collette Labey, the Jersey Wonderer, who wrote: "I am sooo happy to be providing you again with my Wonders again!!"
In September 2023, the Hackett's were given permission to extend their opening hours following an outpouring of public support.
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