stables

Planning and Design Practice Ltd recently gained planning permission for the construction of a 50m x 30m all-weather horse turn out area to support a successful equestrian centre. The proposed facility is to be used in conjunction with our client’s existing stables facilities.

The site is located to the west of a complex of barn conversion dwellings, off Park Lane approximately 1 mile to the south of Rodsley village in open countryside. The site is currently occupied by a large agricultural building which contains 10 stables and an indoor manège. Planning permission has however been granted in 2020 for the removal of this building and its replacement with a new stable building and outdoor manège. This application relates to a parcel of paddock land opposite the existing building.

The requirement for a turn out area has been driven by a successful business which now needs the turn out area because of adverse winter weather conditions, the extreme wet and cold have led to very muddy or frozen paddocks which are not able to cope with a minimum levels of horse grazing and frozen conditions can lead to slips or falls. The immediate field next to the indoor school and stables is currently in a very poor condition. This is an annual problem for the applicant, which results in the horses remaining in the stables for longer periods of time than they should be. The proposed all weather turn out area would prevent the field from becoming overused whilst still allowing the horses sufficient exercise time which in turn would improve their welfare.

It was considered that the proposed turning out area would be associated with an existing established equestrian use on site. Following permission being granted in 2020 for the replacement of the existing indoor stable and ménage with a new stable building and outdoor manege the character of the site is likely to change significantly however it remains that all development would be contained to the northern side of the access road and public footpath. In this regard, there were initial concerns as the proposed development would expand the development associated with the equestrian use onto the southern side of Longford public footpath 50 which runs through the site. This may result in a visual intrusion into the open countryside. In this case however the proposed turning out area would be set within a parcel of land, defined by existing hedgerows which is currently used as a paddock area. It appears as a visually separate parcel of land to the agricultural fields beyond and instead appears closely related to the equestrian use on site. It is proposed to strengthen the existing hedgerows around to the southern and eastern boundaries of this parcel and also introduce a new hedgerow along the western boundary.

We have vast experience of working on rural projects for homeowners, landowners and farmers including equestrian development, agricultural dwellings, farm diversification schemes and Class Q barn conversions. Contact us for a free 30 minute consultation to discuss your building, project or land.