A farmer’s plan for a shipping container shop faces color change requests from local council
Llanfair Discoed: A farmer got the green light to use a shipping container as a shop and community spot, but there’s a catch. She might have to change the color of the container.
Laura Pollock plans to turn the container into a farm shop, selling meat from her Lower House Farm and goodies like milk, butter, and cheese from local producers. Plus, she wants to set up a self-service coffee machine for villagers to hang out.
She picked a light brown shade for the container, thinking it would blend nicely with the surroundings and her branding. But the local council thinks it might be too light and suggested darker colors like green or black instead.
Monmouthshire County Council took a while to approve her application, but they finally did. The council had some concerns about how the container would fit in with the area, especially since it’s surrounded by larger agricultural buildings.
Even though the council didn’t think cladding was necessary, they did impose a color condition based on community feedback. Laura’s shop is set to open from 7 am to 8 pm, aiming to encourage locals to walk over instead of driving to other shops.
Planners noted that the shop wouldn’t compete with existing stores since it’s so small. It’s also seen as a way to support the farm and provide some benefits to the community.
Interestingly, there’s no village shop in Llanfair Discoed, so residents usually have to drive for groceries or wait for deliveries. The new shop could help change that, plus it’ll cut down on food miles by selling local produce.
With 12 parking spaces planned and no objections from the highways department, it looks like this little shop could be a great addition to the village.
