An area of land in Chesham where a kimchi farm was planned is set to get a new fence after the current one broke planning rules.

A member of the family that owns the land has asked for permission to put up a new 1m high ‘timber post and rail’ enclosure around a parcel of woodland north of Pednor Road.

The erection of the current 1.2m high fence around the small section of private land put the landowners at loggerheads with local residents, who were previously able to walk through this part of the woods.

The fence was put up without planning permission and Buckinghamshire Council slapped landowner Syed Ahmed with an enforcement notice in July 2021, ordering him to take it down.

However, he missed the November 2022 deadline, and in May of this year, the council said that the failure to remove the fence amounted to a ‘criminal offence’.

READ MORE: Chesham and Amersham election guide: We asked all candidates the same 10 questions

The new planning application to replace the fence, submitted to the council this week, alludes to the failure to adhere to planning rules.

A section of it reads: “The current landowner did not comprehend the covenants and policies relating to the land and permitted development when installing the fences.”

The application also defends the landowners’ sectioning off of their land due to the ‘trespass and vandalism’ which has ‘plagued the site’ over the past few years.

It reads: “Boundary fencing was erected for two reasons: To ensure the pubic were not exposed to safety risks, whilst the fencing was to provide adequate and appropriate secure enclosures for livestock management.

“Over recent years both private signage and private fencing have become targets of criminal damage, exacerbated by public access: From school children shortcutting between footpaths, and sustained vandalism from a limited number of local individuals.”

The application, which was submitted by Syed’s sister Uruss Ahmed, who manages the land, also mentions the landowners’ former plan to grow cabbages and carrots on the land to make kimchi, the traditional Korean side dish made from fermented vegetables.

The council refused permission for the plans, which included a new barn, in 2021 due to the perceived harm to the Green Belt and the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Uruss has said that despite the refusal, she still wants to use her family’s land for agriculture and explained that she has already been using it as a space to help ‘underprivileged girls’ learn new skills like weaving for some time.

The resident, who helps manage the land, stressed that that she did not put up the fence and had nothing to do with her brother’s plans to grow vegetables for kimchi.

She previously told the Bucks Free Press: “All I want to do right now is focus on a project where I can bring young people here, introduce them to country life and nature and teach them skills for life.”

She added: “I want to have farm animals. As a young child I loved animals and still love animals. I want to bring sheep. I have purchased the sheep already. I have got the licences. They are actually at a nearby farm.”

The council’s cabinet member for planning and regeneration, Peter Strachan, previously said: “As previously stated, the planning enforcement notice issued by the Council on 5 July 2021 should have been complied with by 28 November 2022.

“The requirements of that notice have not been complied with, which means that a criminal offence is being committed. As this is a criminal investigation, there is limited information that we can disclose.

“All we are able to advise at this stage is that the matter continues to be investigated and a resolution continues to be pursued.”

📢 "Why wait for news? With Bucks Free Press get real-time updates directly on our ad-free app. Subscribe for unlimited access to our digital edition and enjoy 80% fewer ads on our website. Click here to find out more about how to get your news, your way, every day. #UnlimitedNews #AdLightExperience" 📢