A popular farm café in Essex will continue to run from its rural location after councillors overwhelmingly opposed an unusual planning rule.

The Farm Café by Black Pig catering company, which is based at Chigborough Farm, Little Totham in the Maldon District, had its future called into question after planning officers recommended a retrospective bid for planning permission for refusal.

The main reason cited for the recommending refusal was non-compliance with local development policies stating the café would need to be ancillary to the wider farm site, and that a café or restaurant should be deemed as running 'town centre' activities which are therefore inappropriate in such a rural location.

In her report presented to Maldon District councillors during a meeting of its north western area planning committee on January 10, planning officer Kathryn Mathews wrote: "Whilst the considerable support for the continuation of the use of the café is noted and rent from the café would benefit the farm financially… there is not a functional need for the proposal and there is insufficient evidence that the use of the building would not lead to dispersal of activity on such a scale as to prejudice the vitality and viability of existing businesses in nearby towns and villages."

The applicant Mr Paul Tallowin, who runs Chigborough Farm and its year-round fishing, camping and leisure provisions alongside his wife, implored that councillors in attendance to "decide objectively who understands (the application) best.

"Either my wife and I, who have run this business for more than 20 years as a tourist destination, or a planning officer who has had limited time and an unwillingness to communicate."

Mr Tallowin said there would "only be negative consequences of a refusal" to allow for the backdated change of use of a disused agricultural barn on the farm site, across the courtyard from its prior location. He added that a "disproportionate weight of objection has been placed on just one point", and said that the officer's recommendation "constitutes a serious misreading and catastrophic bias".

Councillor Nick Spenceley (Lib Dem. Heybridge East), speaking in support of the Farm Café, said that although he would be unable to vote on the matter due to the boundaries of his ward stopping just short of the café's location, the café itself is "in every sense a Heybridge asset".

Cllr Spenceley continued to say that the café offers a "pleasant rural hinterland for Heybridge residents", as well as being an inclusive employer of people with additional needs.

Councillor Kevin Lagan (Ind., Maldon South) also spoke in support of the application having called it in, and said that the café supports economic growth in a rural area, which is encouraged within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).

Chairing the committee, Councillor Mark Durham (Con., Wickham Bishops and Woodham) said that a single application "has seldom attracted so much public interest".

He said he "failed to understand how (the café) is not ancillary" due to how long it has been established and its position on the site, and added that the council "cannot keep making decisions against rural businesses".

Councillors voted overwhelmingly in support of approving the application without any further restrictions.