IT HAS been one of the open sores in rural politics for a decade or more. Whilst farmers - and particularly hard-pressed upland farmers - have been urged to diversify into other activities, local planning bodies are regularly accused of refusing planning permission for such developments.

Over the years, there have been many bitter rows between diversifying farmers and local planners, particularly in the national parks and other areas of outstanding natural beauty - although the Yorkshire Dales National Park in particular has gone out of its way to point out that the vast majority of such applications are approved.

To ease this conflict, the giant Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) chose March 21, the official first day of spring, to issue new guidelines to planning authorities pointing out the need to take a "positive attitude" towards such applications - or face the possibility of the farms involved going out of business.

Today (March 22), the new guidelines were welcomed by the NFU and come at a historic slump in farm incomes caused not just by the foot and mouth epidemic but the side-effects of BSE and the strong pound, which have caused farm incomes to drop by as much as 70% in some areas in just two years.

In the Yorkshire Dales, the Lake District and other upland farming areas, many farmers earn less than the national minimum wage - they would be better off cleaning loos in local towns.

Yet because they work land in magnificent countryside much loved by tourists, they claim that over-strict planning regulations make it impossible for them to diversify into, say, B&B or set up small workshops or caravan sites.

The new planning guidance note, announced by Planning Minister Nick Raynsford, makes clear to local authorities the importance of allowing alternative commercial activities to be developed on farms as a way of preserving them.

NFU Deputy President Tim Bennett said today (March 22) that the document offered planning chiefs much-needed clarity on the issue and encouraged a positive attitude to well thought out proposals.

He added: "The foot and mouth crisis has graphically illustrated the vulnerability of businesses that have had nothing to fall back on."

"This guidance makes clear that to protect farming in this country planning must be sensitive to the needs of farmers to develop other sources of revenue."