Derbyshire Farmer Helen Lowe Convicted Over Concealed Dwelling, Cites Council's "No Compassion"

Derbyshire farmer Helen Lowe faces sentencing on 18 August after Nottingham County Court found her in contempt for failing to remove an unauthorised dwelling within a barn. The court also awarded Derbyshire Dales District Council £10,000 in costs.

The council asserted that Lowe’s dwelling at North Park Farm, Darley Dale, was “deliberately concealed to avoid detection” and lacked the requisite planning permission. Following an investigation initiated by breach reports, an enforcement notice was issued on 19 February 2020. Lowe’s appeal to the government’s Planning Inspectorate was dismissed on 23 February 2022, with an order to cease using the building as a residence and demolish unauthorised structures.

Despite a court order on 9 September 2024 to remove the dwelling and vacate the barn, the council stated Lowe “continued to occupy the building and did not carry out the required works.” This led to contempt of court proceedings initiated on 2 July 2025, culminating in her conviction in May.

Lowe maintains she did not ignore the order, describing the dwelling as “not a luxury pad” but a temporary structure for lambing season. She labelled the council’s actions a “witch hunt,” citing health issues—including hand operations and a broken femur from a riding accident—and the death of her mother as reasons for delays and her inability to attend a crucial appeal hearing in 2022.

Furthermore, Lowe claims that an amendment to the Town and Country Planning Order 2015, effective May 2024, would now render her building compliant under Class Q Agricultural Permitted Development Rights. She alleges the council pursued an injunction in March 2024, two months before this amendment, to circumvent the rule change, continuing enforcement even while she was hospitalised.

Derbyshire Dales District Council defended its actions, stating the case highlights the “serious consequences of ignoring planning rules.” The council added that the “complex and lengthy proceedings have diverted resources” and expressed hope that the guilty verdict would “send a signal to other transgressors.”