Planning Permission

C

cornwallexracers

Well-Known Member
Joined
31 August 2006
Messages
244
Visit site
Just wondered if any of you can help with this one please? I'm looking at buying some land and I'm totally confused if I'll need planning permission or not. What I'm thinking of doing is keeping a few sheep and cows (borrowed from Dad whos a farmer) there along with the horses. Now, if I put up an agricultural building that falls under permitted development, rather than planning permission that I'd need for stables, but can I put internal stables in the agricultural building which may be used for sheep if they are lambing or may get used for horses?
 
Crikey this is a bit difficult to explain properly without looking like I'm trying to swing the lead!

Basically I want to start up my own small holding, and wondered if I was to build an agricultural building (which I can under permitted development) to house the sheep and cows plus feed etc if I would be able to house the horse in there as well or if I'd need to apply for PP to get seperate stables?
 
Speak to your planning authority ask for guidance. They'll give you the answer yes (permitted development is not a free for all it comes with numerous conditions). At this point dig deep employ a consultant who will guide you through the system.

You would be advised to do a land search before any of this just to see if there are unusual cirumstances which may affect your application....make sure there's a water supply, unlike the folks who we are building a development for at he moment...a very expensive mistake
grin.gif
 
I live on a dairy farm and we have isolation pens inside an old dutch barn.

We put a front wall to the pens and converted them to stables. Apparently we would have needed planning permission to do this had we been keeping horses for financial gain as in a business and had we solely had horses and no livestock. (as well as a change of use on the land).

However, as they're for personal use, we were told it was ok. So long as we're willing to move the horses out should we suddenly need to isolate cows from the herd.

As it happens we have two spare "cart sheds" that we use. Never needed more than two yet.

Not sure how you stand with a new build though. We resgistered that we keep horses here with DEFRA and the council and we've not had any comeback. I do know someone else who put internal stables in a shed on their land that they run a haulage company through. They had to take them out as it wasn't a building classified for live stock use. Luckily for them, there's a livery yard next door so they keep their horses stabled next door, but graze on their own land.
 
Looks like a phonecall to the planning department tomorrow to try and explain and ask if what I want to do is allowed then! Will they give an indication if its likely to be approved or will I have to buy the place and cross my fingers!
 
See earlier note and ask for guidance it's free afterward get a professional they'll speed things along quicker than you can and everything will be tied up before any expensive mistakes are made. It would be worth knowing the exaxt location of this thins land and you interest/position with it at present.
 
My friend has put up a barn with the same intentions as yours.
She icomes under Restormel. The planning went through with no problems at all.
I can find out more if you want me to.
pm me.
smile.gif
 
Why dont you write to the planners, they should be able to let you know...
I was told by the planners that I could put a sick/ill pony or in very bad weather, in the barn as it would be for humane reasons.
 
there was someone near us who had agricultural land (bought it specifically with the intention of putting stables on it) but has had plans halted for about 2 years now because he is still arguing that horses are to do with agriculture and they are not of commercial gain because he isn't running a livery or riding stable. he's already started putting the stables up to make matters worse.

definitely speak to planning department at your council (or council that the land falls under). its such a fiddly issue
 
The permitted development rights to put up a new building ONLY apply on land over 5 hectares. If your land is under 5 hectares you can only 'alter or extend' an existing barn.

horses are agricultural only if they are kept for meat or fur or as working farm horses or live solely out 24 hrs per day every day of the year - otherwise the horse use is 'incidental' to the use of the land and requires PP.

a mixed use barn may well be acceptable.

before I talked to the planners I'd go onto your local council website and search their database of planning applications on-line and see what the results of other appns for stables have been.

tbh - most planners will see horses plus a few sheep/cows as exactly what you are doing - fiddling the system - and whilst planners are aggravating, annoying, a*******s - they are not completely stupid (or most of them aren't) - so they could smell a rat and be harder on you than if you went for stables up front

the other way to do it would be to let your dad own the land and let him apply for the PP for the barn - and then once he's got the PP for his sheep and cows - then let him sell the land to you for what it was purchased for - the planners are more likely to believe your dad needing a barn than you !!
 
Depending on what the land is being used as now the first thing you need to do is apply for change of use. If its not currently used for grazing animals you need permission for that before you even think about asking for PP!
 
if the land is currently agricultural then change of use is not needed to graze agricultural animals - and that includes horses that live out 24x7

change of use also depends on what the main use of the land is for.

If the land grazes 100 sheep and 2 horses - then it's main use is agricultural
if the land grazes 3 sheep and 8 horses........
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top