A CLAIM by Natural England (NE) to grant an injunction against a Devon farmer has been dismissed. 

In 2021, Braunton tenant-farmer Andrew Cooper was ordered to pay £31,500 for ploughing historically important fields linked to prehistoric and Second World War periods.

Natural England took enforcement action against Cooper, who farms at Croyde Hoe Farm, for not complying with the Environmental Impact Assessment (Agriculture) (England) (No. 2) Regulations 2006.

When Cooper ploughed and planted fields on National Trust-owned land, which experts regard as archaeologically significant, he was ordered to stop and remediate the fields by Natural England in September 2017.

However, the farmer ignored the stop notice and continued to plough and lime most of a neighbouring field as well by March 2018.

The fields in question, found on the Baggy Point headland jutting out on the North Devon coast, are linked to the Mesolithic and Neolithic eras where large numbers of flint artefacts have been found.

After the criminal conviction, Natural England sought an order restraining Cooper from ploughing some of his farmland without complying with the 2006 regulations, which would require the public body's consent for the land to be cultivated. 

But during the High Court case in Bristol on November 16 and 17 2023, and February 21 2024,  HHJ Russen KC, judge during the case, dismissed Natural England's claim against Mr Cooper. 

However, an earlier interim injunction, which presents damage to flint artefacts and other historical features at the site, is still in place. 

A spokesperson for Natural England said: "Natural England is carefully considering the detail of the judgment at this site, and whether it wishes to take any further action."

There is set to be a further hearing of consequential matters at a later date.