Chalfont St Peter: Plans for four stables and hay barn on Green Belt land thrown out

A change of use application was submitted for land at West Hyde Lane by the applicant who wanted to build a block for the stables, a tack room and store, with a separate hay barn.

The proposal was for personal equestrian use and would provide “a sustainable recreational use of the Green Belt”, according to the online design and access statement.

The site, near Robertswood School, which is around 1.5 hectares (3.7 acres) is flat and suitable for equestrian grazing, while the stable building, hay barn and associated land would have been used for private and not commercial use, the document also said.

The design and access statement adds: “Given that the proposed development seeks the change of use of the land to equestrian, it is considered that this would not amount to inappropriate development as it proposes a change of use for outdoor sport and in of itself, would not result in a harmful impact on openness of the Green Belt.

“Similarly, given that the proposed buildings would be used for equestrian purposes, it is considered that the construction of a stable building and hay barn would not amount to inappropriate development in the Green Belt, provided it preserves the openness of the Green Belt and does not conflict with the purposes of including land within it.”

The applicant also said the proposed buildings would not be larger than the recommendations of the British Horse Society and that they were “small scale in relation to the size of the site”.

PICTURED: The land where the applicant wanted to build the stables. Credit: Ordnance Survey

But planning officers at Buckinghamshire Council felt the stable block and hay barn, “by virtue of its scale and size, is considered to impact upon the openness of the Green Belt, in both spatial and visual terms, and thus would have a demonstrably and significantly harmful impact on the openness of the Green Belt”.

They added in their decision letter: “Further, no very special circumstances are apparent to outweigh the harm identified and it is noted there is an existing building already on the site, for which no explanation is offered.”

They also noted that while infiltration testing had been undertaken, the results of the on-site ground investigations were not provided, adding: “Further, calculations have not been provided to demonstrate that the proposed drainage system can contain up to the 1 in 30 storm event without flooding.

PICTURED: The site plan. Credit: Ordnance Survey

“Overall, there is insufficient information available regarding the proposed surface water drainage scheme and it cannot be determined that the development would not result in an unacceptable flood risk.”

Chalfont St Peter Parish Council objected to the plans, saying it was “unjustified” and represented an “inappropriate form of development in the Green Belt”.