Guinea pigs to be bred for food by off-grid family after council approval

A couple has been given the go-ahead to breed guinea pigs on their land so that they can eat them as part of their drive to live sustainably.

Dave and Mayu Phillips sought permission to build an eco-friendly home to live off-grid in rural Pembrokeshire.

The plans include producing honey and walnuts, as well as raising a pair of breeding rabbits and three pairs of breeding guinea pigs, to produce meat for the household, along with a flock of 20 pigeons for eggs and meat.

Dave Phillips said the type of guinea pigs they intended to eat "were larger than the pet variety... similar to rabbits in terms of meat production".

Pembrokeshire council's planning committee backed the development.

Phillips grew up locally and the couple are keen to return to the area to continue the honey business established by his father, develop vegetable gardens and build a low-impact dwelling on the site, according to planning committee documents.

An application for the One Planet Development near Jeffreyston said: "The land has been in the family for 20 years and is used as a base for Jim's honey business with storage and a processing room in the sheds.

"There is also a kitchen on site for jarring up the honey. The site has over 50 walnut trees that were planted approximately 15-20 years ago as well as 20 active beehives in the apiary."

The site is located in a popular area of south Pembrokeshire near tourist hotspots such as the coastal towns of Tenby and Saundersfoot.

At the committee meeting, members were told that, by the fifth year of the One Planet Development, the projected income would be between £13,450 and £16,850.

One Planet Developments are a "forward-thinking and radical" scheme which is "unique to Wales", according to The Permaculture Association charity. It said the idea was to build zero-carbon homes in the countryside, with occupants required to live and work sustainably on the land, grow food and create a low-impact, off-grid lifestyle.

Speaking at the meeting, Dave Phillips added: "Humanity is living as if we have several more Planet Earths... we can all play our part, living sustainably, and Pembrokeshire County Council can play its part."

He said the honey had won prizes at the county show, with many shops and market stalls stocking it.

Council members unanimously backed conditional approval of the scheme.

In the UK, it is legal to eat guinea pigs, but it is illegal to cause an animal unnecessary suffering during their slaughter, according to the UK government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

However, unlike in some countries - such as parts of South America, including Peru, Ecuador, Bolivia - it is not a commonly-served delicacy.

You do not need a licence to kill animals to eat at home, as long as you own the animal and you kill it on your property.

You must also be killing it for you or your immediate family, who live on your property, to eat.

However, there are strict rules which must be followed - particularly around the method of slaughter - and failure to meet these can lead to prosecution.