Stables and Planning

[markram]

I have fields adjacent to my garden where the owners of the field have rented to a horse owner. About 4 years ago a small stable appeared about 25 metres from the back of my house. We were very disappointed by this as we previously had a nice view of the open fields. Having just moved in we didn't like to start making complaints and so left it. However in recent months the stable has been enlarged to 12m x 4m (using pallets as building materials!!) and they now have 3 horses. The stable smells just awful and the horses dump their load right on my fence line. We are retired and spend most days in our garden, and rather than smell the sweet fragrances of the flowers and plants we have, for much of the time all we can smell is the disgusting stink of fresh horse pooh and in addition we are plagued by flies.

Despite having told the owners of the field of our plight nothing has been done. Several months ago a Local Authority Planning Officer visited our house to look at a planning issue on our new build property. While he was here he noticed the stable and said that it should not be there, and no planning application has ever been made to graze horses on the land. He said that he would look into the matter and confirmed by email. That was last October and I have heard nothing despite having chased a number of times for an update.

Needless to say our garden is ruined.

I would welcome any ideas to resolve this?

 

[DD]

you are a troll.

 

[HeyMich]

Suck it up.

People are allowed to enjoy their own land (owned or rented), and absolutely do as they like on it, as long as they aren't breaking the law.

If they are breaking the law, then report them. If there is a welfare issue with the horses or environmental health issue with the stables, then report them. If not, shut up!

Simples ;-)

 

[ester]

appreciate the fact that they haven't applied for planning permission for lots of houses on it instead?

Planning offices aren't great, we have had two lots of people make motorbike tracks recently, they got a smacked hand for bringing soil onto site without permission but have since put in permanent buildings with concrete bases in too. I know which I would prefer all summer and it isn't the noise from the bikes...

Of course you could make them a sizeable offer to purchase the field.

 

[Clodagh]

Harsh people, would you like the stinking smell of ammonia in this hot weather when you don't have a horse?
OP, you couyld try contacting the head of your council but they are generally as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Or your MP?
I don't see why the stables can't be put up somewhere else in the field, so as not to bother anyone.

 

[WandaMare]

Maybe someone from the parish council could help you, in our area this is the sort of thing they get involved in. I don't agree that OP needs to put up with it, its not fair to bother neighbours with horse muck which could easily be cleared up.

If I was the horse owner I would want to keep the neighbours on side as they are the ones who could help out if there was an emergency.

 

[Auslander]

Wow - charming welcome to the forum from some of you. Why should the OP have to deal with bad smells and flies in their own garden, because someone has flouted planning regulations and erected stables right by their garden. I wouldn't like it, and I have horses.

I completely fail to see what is trollish about the post, or why they should have to shut up and put up.

 

[Tiddlypom]

What a welcome to the forum, indeed. OP, most if us on here aren't so miserable. You raise a valid query about a common issue.

Suck it up.

People are allowed to enjoy their own land (owned or rented), and absolutely do as they like on it, as long as they aren't breaking the law.

Charming. Erecting stabling without planning permission IS against the law. Even if PP is given, the planning officers will carefully consider the effect of the structure on neighbouring properties and may well insist on the site being moved from where it was originally proposed. It's unlikley that they'd approve anything constructed of pallets, anyway.

OP, I'd continue to chase up your local planning office. Maybe your local Parish Council may get involved as well, though they have no powers as such.

 

[whiteflower]

Think the issue will probably be that is the 'stables' are made of pallets and I'm guessing with no permanent base then I doubt they would even be counted as a building hence the planners lack of interest. If there really is that much poo there it will be environmental health you would need to contact and get them to come and assess the impact on your property.
Not a lot that can be done about fresh horse poo being done by the horses close to the fence, if it's grazing horses will go where they go but if the 'stables' are full of poo then environmental health may be able to take action

 

[ester]

re. the stables being temporary, I'd expect them not having change of use from agricultural would/should be as much of a goer on planners front but as I said, they often seem to like a quiet life when things have already happened.

FWIW we are surrounded by houses and we do our best to keep them on side as it is in our best interests, the only time they complain is when the grass gets long as we are making hay! Or that the horses are on the wrong side of the field for them to see and they miss them!

 

[whiteflower]

re. the stables being temporary, I'd expect them not having change of use from agricultural would/should be as much of a goer on planners front but as I said, they often seem to like a quiet life when things have already happened.

FWIW we are surrounded by houses and we do our best to keep them on side as it is in our best interests, the only time they complain is when the grass gets long as we are making hay! Or that the horses are on the wrong side of the field for them to see and they miss them!

Indeed if it doesn't have equestrian use then no temporary stabling should be allowed but they can graze horses on agricultural land and it would need to be proved to be being used as stabling rather than 'storage' for agriculture.

I totally see that this is probably 'illegal' stabling on agricultural land but I think it depends on the local authority how bothered they are about it and if there are complaints. Maybe the op should make an official complaint rather than just raising a question when the planners are their on other business to find out the answer.

Having just paid alot of money to the local planners for some new buildings at ours it does irritate me people think they can do what they like without. The planning allows neighbours to put any opinions across then it's down to the planners to decide if any objections are valid or not. My guess is for the above situation planners will not be interested as its on the line of what could be got away with under agricultural planning regs. I think environmental health may be a better bet if the smell and poo is that bad and close the the neighbours

 

[markram]

Many thanks to those of you who have taken the trouble to give an adult response to the issue.
Although the building has been added to with pallets, the major part of it is constructed from scaffold boards and so is quite a substantial building. I feel certain that if I had constructed such a building in my garden the council would be knocking on my door with a bulldozer. I had to go through a very rigorous and costly planning appeal to build a house in keeping with the surrounding area and so it all seems just a little unfair.
Several ideas there which had crossed my mind and are worth pursuing. When I spoke with the planning officer about the issue, he confirmed that the stable should not be there and that they would require planning consent to graze horses on the land. He subsequently confirmed by email and agreed to update me on progress, which he has not done. However, since posting I have spoken with the owner of the land about the issue and they claim that they have never been approached by the planning officer which all seems quite unbelievable. So first on my list is to write to the head of the council.

 

[ester]

A bit of an aside but it is usually easier planning wise to put stables in your garden than it is in a field

 

[honetpot]

Actually if you built that in your garden it would be covered by permitted development rules if its under a certain height and horses are classed as domestic animal.
I would go on the planning portal check what applications have been made. If its been there for over a certain amount of time, now easily proved by google earth, they could appeal and win. The chances are the planning officer has bigger problems on his list.
If you want it to be agricultural land, be careful what you wish for.
https://www.gov.uk/planning-permissions-for-farms/permitted-development
If they have a big enough holding under PD they could erect a very big shed, which will completely block your view, they do not have to own the land. There are also farm animals that will make a lot more noise, cows when bulling bellow, and sometimes when they are not bulling.
It pays to get on with your neighbours. We have one who has managed to alienate everyone, even though they are a couple of fields away from their closest neighbour. They are lucky they are not down wind from pigs, so far, but one that has been really hacked off is really going to spoil her view, with in the law.

 

[HeyMich]

Apologies if my tone of voice upset anyone, but I was just slightly taken aback by the OP's fatalistic reaction to the horror of having horses nearby. I very much doubt his/her "garden is ruined".

I did say to report to Planning, Environmental Health, or welfare unit if any laws etc had been breached, and I still stand by this advice.

OP, I hope you have had a polite and friendly conversation with your neighbours and tried to come to an amicable compromise, without having to involve the authorities.

 

[whiteflower]

I totally understand the annoyance when you have followed the law re your planning and understand the financial investment that requires. I would do as you suggest and contact the planning department direct and ask them what the progress is with the complaint. At least that way you know where you stand. As has been said above, even with scaffold board you could do it in your garden if it has no base and is under the specified height and % of garden allowed but this doesn't help your issue. I hope you come to some positive conclusion with your neighbours as it's a shame to not get on. There are certain things that come with living in the countryside that need to be accepted but there still needs to be consideration given to others.