A HISTORIC family farm which has been plagued by fire damage and thefts is set to finally be given some respite - after Barnsley Council approved plans which will improve its safety.

Plans were originally submitted for a lived-in caravan to be placed at Swaithe Villa Lodge Farm, on Mitchell Street, in October out of ‘sheer desperation’ in order to act as a deterrent.

An application said a fifth-generation farmer, Liam Medlam, would be living in the caravan in a bid to cut down on the site’s history with criminality.

A report said: “Swaithe village has evolved over the years from agricultural activities.

“The large majority of land that surrounds the village is owned and farmed by the Medlam family.

“The Medlam grandparents took ownership back in 1895 and the farm has been passed down through the generations.

“Philip Medlam took control of Swaithe Villa Lodge Farm in 1990.

“After a lifetime’s dedication to the farm, Philip is now in the process of handing the running of the farm to his grandson, Liam.

“Liam has worked and has been prepared in readiness for this role from a very young age.

“This is a natural succession and ensures that the farm remains workable for generations to come.

“Over the years the farm has been subject to fire damage, malicious damage and thefts.

“Security measures have been put in place consisting of CCTV systems along with security guard dogs.

“Despite these security measures, theft and malicious damage continued.

“It was clear that this was a direct consequence of not having a permanent presence on site.”

In a bid to combat this, the family hoped to house Liam in the caravan to act as a deterrent to those who have targeted the farm.

The report added: “The static caravan was requiring consent in sheer desperation.

“Thefts and trespass were becoming a daily occurrence.

Since Liam has been residing on site all thefts and trespass have stopped.

“It is Liam’s intention that once a permanent solution is in place, to give the farm complex a facelift making the yard area more aesthetically pleasing.

“He is hopeful that at this point the need for security guard dogs will be vastly diminished and the general area will become a more idyllic place to live, work and be more fitting within this small parcel of green belt area.”

The council’s planning board approved the plans last week, despite objections from three local residents.

It means the caravan will be allowed to be in situ for three years.

The report said: “Having balanced all material planning considerations, whilst a number of objections have been received in respect to the proposal they have been suitably addressed through the information supplied and further submissions in relation to the scheme.

“As a consequence, the positive aspects of the proposal outlined above are not outweighed by any other material planning considerations.

“The proposal is therefore, on balance, recommended for a temporary period.”

Rural crime - particularly relating to farms, outbuildings and machinery - has been placed high on South Yorkshire Police’s agenda due to sites being seen as ‘sitting duck-style’ targets.

According to the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), 2020 and 2021 saw a reduction in thefts - a decrease attributed to long spells of Covid-19 lockdowns before incidents started to climb from 2022 onwards.

High-value machinery such as quads, tractors, horse boxes and agricultural machinery have all been stolen from local farms, while reports of poaching, fly-tipping and fuel theft have also been recorded by local officers.

Sergeant James Shirley added: “We’re cracking down on rural criminality to intercept those who pose a risk to wildlife, farmers’ livelihoods and our communities.

“We are passionate about rural crime and bringing offenders before the courts.

“Rural crime remains to be one of the most under-reported crimes and I urge anyone affected to get in touch online, via live chat or by calling 101.”