Stables in the garden

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lauraxxx

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Has anyone built stables in their garden?

Basically I’m looking at a property which has a large garden which could definitely fit stables and still have at least half the garden left!
It does also have land but is agricultural so as I understand, if the horses just graze it and aren’t fed/rugged eyc on the land I wouldn’t need to change use
Basically, I’m trying to be cheeky and sneaky! 😂
The majority of the land is going to be used for hay making so there will be done agricultural work being done
 
canteron said:
A lot depends on your neighbours and how much they enjoy moaning. Maybe worth a chat with the council/planning advisor would be good to ensure you have your ducks all lined up!
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Yes would definitely speak to the council before I did anything just looking if anyone had done it. Basically, it’s farm which has been spilt into 3 lots and the other 2 lots are horsey people too. Other than that’s, there’s no really any neighbours other than a house at the very bottom of the land but the garden is hidden by a hedge
 
What's the difference in having horses on the property fed and rugged versus not?

Very unfamiliar with the nuances of planning permissions lol
 
Yes I built stables in the garden in 2024.
I had to have planning and I applied for equestrian use - it wasn’t an issue and relatively easy.
 
FieldOrnaments said:
What's the difference in having horses on the property fed and rugged versus not?

Very unfamiliar with the nuances of planning permissions lol
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If it’s classified agricultural you can’t do the above, has to be equestrian use which is a different classification, can only graze it
 
FieldOrnaments said:
What's the difference in having horses on the property fed and rugged versus not?

Very unfamiliar with the nuances of planning permissions lol
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Because the land is classed as agricultural horses can only grass. If you want to rug, feed, ride etc the land has to be equestrian. Stupid rules as the horses are eating the same grass!
 
Traks said:
If it’s classified agricultural you can’t do the above, has to be equestrian use which is a different classification, can only graze it
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That seems odd to me, I can’t imagine the horses being given a feed and a rug would impact the land itself, so wonder why it’s so oddly specific?
 
dixie said:
Yes I built stables in the garden in 2024.
I had to have planning and I applied for equestrian use - it wasn’t an issue and relatively easy.
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Thank you, I’m hoping planning on the garden rather than in the land which is classes as agriculture would be easier and more straightforward. If you don’t mind me asking, how much did the planning cost roughly?
 
FieldOrnaments said:
What's the difference in having horses on the property fed and rugged versus not?

Very unfamiliar with the nuances of planning permissions lol
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I am in the process of applying for change of use from agricultural to equine, one with retrospect planning as the equines are already there. Ironically you don't need a Biodiversity Net Gain assessment if it is retrospect, saving money.

I bet a lot of fields with horses grazing, and with rugs on, being fed hay are on agricultural land, this is illegal! 'it is not supposed to be their permanent field and they should be moved to an equine base'. a quote from an enforcement officer. I expect no one checks or complains though and i have never asked the farmer about the fields I have rented. I am on a steep learning curve at the moment, liaising with my planners and the council.
 
I would suggest talking to other horse owners in the area and find out what the council's attitude is to horses on agricultural land.
 
Carrottom said:
I would suggest talking to other horse owners in the area and find out what the council's attitude is to horses on agricultural land.
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I think the council do turn a blind eye, but if it is brought to their attention, as in my case, they have to act, as it is law. The irony was they visited my field as someone complained about my field shelters, which are on skids, so the enforcement officer was not at all concerned about them, but obviously saw the donkeys etc., hence the retrospect planning permission application.

Sorry have gone off at a tangent, but frustrated as going through the process.
 
Our previous house had stables built on the garden (within the house curtilage), built by the previous owners. All done with full knowledge of the council under permitted development rules.
 
FieldOrnaments said:
What's the difference in having horses on the property fed and rugged versus not?

Very unfamiliar with the nuances of planning permissions lol
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If the horse requires a rug for genuine welfare reasons, that’s ok, same as we sometimes have to put raincoats on newborn lambs, or calf jackets.
Riding round said fields is a whole different issue, likewise hay nets, ring feeders. If you always run some livestock with your grazing horse, like a mini flock of sheep, it is far more difficult to argue the land is no longer agricultural. There is very wide regional variation in implementation, too.
 
lauraxxx said:
Because the land is classed as agricultural horses can only grass. If you want to rug, feed, ride etc the land has to be equestrian. Stupid rules as the horses are eating the same grass!
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Although you could rug, feed and ride a cow on it. It's beyond about time that horses were counted as large grazing animals like cattle and not some weird, overgrown house pet.
 
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