[robert waddell]

very interesting this topic my own take on the councils approach is usually when horses appear on fields with shelters etc the housing application is not that far of     they have to be seen to be active to prevent the blow ins from manipulating the planning process for financially gain 

[princesspiggy]

couldnt u just get a couple of sheep in with the horses?

[sabrina]

Well I never got change of use for the ponies but we do run sheep and pigs now and again. I have always had my holding number, we have afield shelter and one of the large barns has 5 stables in it. Stables are used for sheep pigs, ponies, hens and ducks in the winter. If my local council tried to have a go at me I would just point out all the other things in my area without planning, riding arenas, etc. We have been here over 13 years abd at no point did anyone say you cannot ride in your own fields and my local council guy is very near me.

[Helencus]

The primary use of my land is equestrian not agricultural so I had to get change of use. I now have pigs so some of the land is agricultural now but mostly for horses.

[waterhouse]

Horses are not agricultural animals (unless you plough with them) but in the wording of the legislation agricultural uses include grazing.  Further, government is generally supportive of equestrian uses in its guidance to planning authorities.  So if you merely graze horses I think your'e on pretty safe grounds but not if you erect permanent jumps (or even leave jumps in the field), or build a manége or a shelter.

When we applied to build stables in our garden our local authority was not at all bothered by the implicit equestrian use of the adjacent fields (though we also have sheep).  There were complete 'ing 'astards in how they handled the application, mind you, but eventually, very slowly, granted consent as being wholly within policy.

The holding number doesn't mean anything in this regard.  It registers the land with the accursed Rural Payments Agency, and hence your local authority.

[ellied]

I have a holding number and agricultural ground in Fife (with a house already on it) and previously had 7 acres with a shed but no house.  In both cases it was and is clear that I am grazing livestock and breeding, not riding and there is no problem with this despite my being adjacent to a main road with lots of passing faces having a look at what I'm doing.

My barn was erected in the garden on the site of a previous residential caravan (used 30+ years ago when the house was originally built and left for a spare room) so with hindsight I should probably have replaced the caravan but I wanted a shed   A year or two later I built an extension into the field but maintained the fenceline between them so the top layer is "just" a field shelter/handling pen with gates and yes it was checked

I would love a proper agri-barn with walls and yorkshire boarding above, to store hay and overwinter a few of the less good doers, but I can't afford the £20k odd sadly   I have been told that all I'd need to do is inform planning of my intention and as long as it is less than the limit of m2 permitted for agri-development, I wouldn't have to put in a full application so all I need now is to win the lottery

[Fi]

OMG so much hate for the planners! I defo think this depends on where you live and what LA you are dealing with. The problem is that planning legislation is so full of grey areas and planners generally come from Mars and have no practical or sensible outlook on things. They will look for ways to take an application for stuff just to be awkward. Yes I work for a LA not for but closely with the planners and their decisions infuriate me! Everyone should make a point of checking applications in their area regularly and making comment of support as well as objections where appropriate. Get involved in the production of your Local Plan when it's out to consultation.
My biggest fear is the loss of productive agriculture, food producing land to house our ever growing population.
As for the grazing etc, depending on where you are, how well you get on with your neighbours etc, just try your hand. It's much harder for them to get you to remove something after it's done and you can't go to jail.

[Veggy1972]

Hi,
My problem is the opposite way around. I am looking at properties with equestrian land for sale. Do you need to get planning persission to revert it to agriculture land again? It like to plant an orchard poly tunnels and fruit cages. I'm guessing they properly all need permission too?

[ellied]

May depend where you are but if it is small scale orchard/poly then it may count as domestic rather than agri unless you can prove you have a business plan for larger scale production and sales, or are obviously converting a large acreage that couldn't be anything else. 

Not sure that most advertised 'equestrian land' wouldn't still be agri use in planning terms as discussed above, grazing is usually included as agri - unless there are stable yards/arenas etc which would need equi permission.  In which case the previous owner may have gone for full equi or just the facilities and left the fields agri, worth checking when you view properties.

So no, reverting most previously horse grazing land to agri shouldn't be a problem, just be careful that your proposed use qualifies as agri before you go too far.