Woodchip/bark "hard standing" and planning permission

C

Country Cob

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Hi All,

I was wondering if any of you lovely folks who are clued up on planning permission could help. I have just moved house and my new field is on clay. I want to put down a sort of hard standing area so when the great british weather is not so great, they have somewhere they can have a leg stretch, without trashing the field. The land I presume is Agricultural as it was part of a farm a few years ago, but the council said they can't tell me what class it is, but probably agricultural.
I understand I would need pp for putting hardcore/stone chippings down, and am very unlikely to get pp for this. A friend suggest woodchippings/bark from the local tree surgeons as they couldn't possibly stop me prom putting organic material down?
Would I get away with this or would I need planning? I don't want to ask them and draw attention to it if I don't technically need pp, but don't want to get on the wrong side of them either.

Many thanks
 
If its a small area and one thats important to you using the land I would just do it and claim ignorance, a small area of hardstanding like hardcore thats permeable to rain isn't that much of an issue.

Ringing them and having an informal chat is good too, but as long as you're not covering the entire property I can't see an issue.
 
If it is to be large you defiantly need PP but if it's small and not overlooked you might get away with it .
But as a general rule hardstandings need PP.
 
If you intend putting leisure horses on the land then you will require planning permission for change of use from agricultural to equestrian.
At the same time put in planning for hard standing and anything else you require.
 
I would have a chat with your local council. Friends of my parents put some shingle down on a patch of their land by their house to park their car on - so not a very large area. Some local busy body complained and they had to remove it.
 
OWLIE185 said:
If you intend putting leisure horses on the land then you will require planning permission for change of use from agricultural to equestrian.
At the same time put in planning for hard standing and anything else you require.
Click to expand...

This.
I think it would be pointless to put down bark chippings alone. You need 4 to 6 inches stone underneath and possibly land drainage depending on the size of the area. I think bark would soon get trodden into the clay.
 
OOPS! i didn't know you needed planning permission for a hardcore hardstanding- i put one in 2 years ago on rented property and didn't think to ask as i saw it as improving the place. Was going to extend mine over the summer as it was invaluable this year but now i'm thinking i will be pushing my luck. the estate have been round a few times and never mentioned it!!I second (or third) bark chippings not working especially on clay. I put down a few inches of building rubble and then limestone hardcore on top so it doesn't sink over time
 
Has anyone successfully got pp for a concrete hard standing? I put down an unofficial stone one this year but between the manure and the mud they trampled in it has now completely disappeared so hoping to go full concrete this year. Sorry to thread jack, but may be relevant to you as based on my experience with the stone I definitely wouldn't bother with wood chips.
 
I got planning for concrete hard standing without any trouble. The key thing was being able to justify why I wanted it. I have just asked for more (MoT 2) for a pole barn and all weather turnout.
 
OWLIE185 I have spoken to council about this and as long as I don't feed them on the field then that is fine as technically you are allowed to graze horses on Agri land.

I have put my stables in the garden as this is covered by permitted development (I did write to the council to make sure) so can feed them away from the land and they seemed fine about that.

I did go on their website and seems everyone around here who has bought agri land and built stables etc, have never applied for a change of use and got their stables approved.

Looks like I may apply for pp for a stone hardcore pad then, and just hope they approve it

Thanks everyone
 
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