Agenda item

To consider the report of the Director of Strategy, Performance and Governance (copy enclosed, Members’ Update to be circulated)*.

Following the Officer’s presentation, Mr Peter Le Grys, the Agent, addressed the Committee.

Councillor J V Keyes, the Ward Member, advised that on a visit to the site he noted that the stables were nicer than those on his land and that he agreed with the Officer’s recommendation of approval.

In response to Members’ questions the Lead Specialist – Place advised that the condition referring to “equestrian buildings and stables” used standard phrasing.
 

Councillor R H Siddall proposed that the application be rejected.  He questioned how 45metres of hardstanding is laid by accident, and made comment to the impact on the structure, environment and landscape of the area.

Councillor E L Bamford raised concern over the application being retrospective.  Further concern was raised over the amount of hardstanding and disputed that the application was in keeping with the Local Development Plan (LDP), specifically policies D1, S2 and S8.  It was noted that excessive fencing had destroyed a lot of the hedgerow.  Councillor E L Bamford made the recommendation and proposal that the application be rejected for the aforementioned reasons.

A short discussion ensued which acknowledged the attractive style of the stables

and commented on the size of the hardstanding.  Councillor P A Channer suggested the amending of Condition 2 to omit the wording “…equestrian building...”.

Councillor J V Keyes commented on the size of the hardstanding with relation to his experience as a HGV driver, and proposed that the application be approved in accordance with the Officer’s recommendation.

The Chairman put the recommendation of refusal, contrary to the Officer’s recommendation, to the Committee and upon a vote being taken the proposal was refused.

The Chairman then put the Officer’s recommendation of approval to the Committee, subject to the variation of Condition 2 to remove “equestrian buildings and” from the last line, and upon a vote being taken the recommendation was agreed.

RESOLVED that the application be APPROVED subject to the following conditions:

1.               The stables hereby permitted shall be used solely for the private stabling of horses shall not be used for business or commercial use including for the purposes of livery and no riding school activity shall take place at the site.

2.               The use of the stables hereby permitted shall cease and all equipment and materials brought onto the land for the purposes of such use shall be removed within three months of the date of failure to meet any one of the requirements set out in (i) to (iv) below.

(i)          within 3 months of the date of this decision details of the arrangements for the storage, drainage and disposal of manure, bedding and liquid animal wastes shall have been submitted for the written approval of the local planning authority and the scheme shall include a timetable for its implementation;

(ii)        if within 11 months of the date of this decision the local planning authority refuse to approve the scheme or fail to give a decision within the prescribed period, an appeal shall have been made to, and accepted as validly made by the Secretary of State;

(iii)      if an appeal is made in pursuance of (ii) above, that appeal shall have been finally determined and the submitted scheme shall have been approved by the Secretary of State, or;

(iv)       the approved scheme shall have been carried out and completed in accordance with the approved timetable.

3.               No floodlighting or other external form of illumination of the site shall be undertaken without the prior written approval of the local planning authority.

4.               There shall be no burning of animal or stable waste anywhere on the site as shown edged in red on the Location Plan hereby approved.