DC/DC/2012/00062
CHANGE OF USE OF EXISTING AGRICULTURAL BUILDING TO FORM
STABLING FOR UP TO 30 HORSES WITH THE ADDITIONAL FORMATION OF
AN EXERCISE ARENA FOR EQUESTRIAN PURPOSES
CLAWDD Y PARC, LLANGYBI, USK
RECOMMENDATION: APPROVE
1.0
APPLICATION DETAILS
1.1
The site is approximately 2km west of the village of Llangybi. The site itself is an
extended farmstead consisting of a farm house and a collection of existing agricultural
buildings, some of which have been converted to domestic dwellings. This application relates
to an existing modern agricultural building and associated fields to the south of Clawdd y
Parc Farm. It is proposed to use this building as stabling for up to 30 horses. This will not
require any external alterations, except for some repairs. Internally, the building will be
divided into stables along each side using concrete blocks finished with render and stone
cladding. The horses kept at the stables are there on a long term basis to be trained and there
are no horse boxes at the site.
1.2
Manure would be stored on site in the compound area immediately to the south of an
existing Dutch barn and would be designed to accommodate six month’s worth of potential
waste (95 tonnes from 30 horses) and would be made available to neighbouring farms for use
as fertilizer.
1.3
To the south east of the building it is proposed to construct a horse exercising area. A
1.2m timber post and rail fence would enclose the area which would have an all-weather
surface of sand and shredded recycled rubber. The field slopes downwards away from the
building meaning that the top of the field is approximately 4 metres higher than the bottom
end. The manege is to be constructed using a cut and fill approach in the middle of the field at
a level roughly in between the highest and lowest points with any cut or fill over 2 metres
being retained with basket gabions. The existing field boundary to the south-east of mature
trees will be retained and elsewhere other hedge boundaries will be allowed to grow. This is
both to help screen the manege and to reduce the amount of wind coming across the valley.
2.0
PLANNING HISTORY
DC/2009/00783 – Extension to farmhouse and conversion of 4 barns. Approved 2009.
DC/2011/00498 – New garages and stores. Current.
DC/2011/01167 – Regularisation to barns as built. Current.
DC/2011/00899 – New access road to supply barns and ancillary buildings. Current.
3.0
UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN (UDP) POLICIES
Policy DES1 – General design considerations.
Policy ENV1 – General development considerations.
Policy C3 – Special Landscape Areas
4.0
CONSULTATION RESPONSES
4.1
Consultee Replies
Llangybi Community Council - at Llangybi Fawr CC's meeting this evening the
Report from Highways Development Control about the implications of the above
application was read out. Councillors were unanimous in their concern at the decision
by Highways to offer no support for the objections that have been raised. All
councillors have received local observations about the already increased vehicular and
equine traffic on the affected stretch of the R101 Parc Road and are in no way
convinced that the presence of 30 horses on the site and the frequent morning and
evening visits by riders and their families, as well as journeys to and from shows etc.
will have no effect on the already heavy use of this route. Indeed Highways refers to
the " considerable number of agricultural holdings which each generate their own
level of agricultural traffic", a factor which already creates many delays, reversing,
and problems - so why allow even more usage, by horses and riders, some young and
learning? Council envisages some dangerous circumstances. And once planning
consent has been granted it will be very difficult to control the traffic situation.
Previous applications for developments at Clawdd y Parc farm also raised our
concerns about traffic but we were advised that allowing developments would
encourage Highways to enhance the R101 - there is not the slightest evidence that
such improvements have ever been considered and their likelihood in today's
economic climate seems remote. Council wishes to maintain its original objection and
would be duty bound to request the opportunity to address Full Committee if and
when this application reaches that stage.
MCC Highways – The application and supporting information has been assessed and
it is noted that the site is already home to around 8 horses, 4 of which belong to offsite owners and is currently farmed for agricultural use. On this basis there is already
a level of traffic being generated from the site. It is understood that the agricultural
element of the site will cease should the proposal be approved giving full commitment
to equine use. Based on this it is considered that the traffic generated by the new
proposal will not exacerbate the current situation as the current agricultural activities
and related traffic will be replaced by the proposed equine traffic. It is also considered
that the horses will be housed on site on a permanent basis meaning that visitors will
usually be travelling in a smaller vehicle rather than continually travelling with horse
boxes or larger vehicles. It is accepted that some larger vehicles will be expected on
occasion but this is likely to be infrequent. It is noted that concerns have been raised
with regard to the suitability of the highway network and the related traffic therefore I
would comment that the highway already serves a considerable number of agricultural
holdings which each generate their own level of agricultural traffic. The highway has
the benefit of a series of passing places along its length which has been continually
used for a considerable length of time with no reported problems therefore appropriate
for its purpose.
In light of the aforementioned there are no highway grounds to sustain an objection to
this application. It is recommended that the access be improved to provide a minimum
width of 4.5m allowing two vehicles to pass. It should be conditioned that no more
than 30 horses be kept on site at one time as proposed.
Gwent Wildlife Trust- The proposal involves considerable earthworks to level the
ground for the manege and we would expect trees and hedges to the south east of the
development site to be protected through a condition.
4.2
Neighbour Notification
One letter of support for the application:
1. Shocked to see opposition for this application from the local rural area. I fail to
think of a rural area in the UK let alone Wales that does not have an equine
presence and struggle to understand where else someone should keep and ride
their horse if not the countryside? The area has a wealth of Bridleways which are
well used.
2. The area has a thriving hunt scene with hunts meeting at neighbouring farms and
using the Llangybi Estate and Clawdd y Parc a number of times a year. The
parking and turning area proposed as part of this application can be utilised by the
hunt and will reduce the need for vehicles to park on the public highway.
3. Opposing this application is hindering local business. The amount of hay and
haylage will be beneficial to local farms and bringing people into the area can also
boost the local pubs and restaurants.
4. The kind of traffic generated by an equestrian use will make little difference to the
existing situation. Not unusual to meet a farmer with a trailer full off sheep so
what difference is a horse box? The roads are well served by passing places and
drivers should be adjusting their driving to the type of the road in any case.
5. The proposed manege for exercising horses on site will reduce the need to
exercise horses along the roads.
6. South Wales and Monmouthshire is home to prolific equestrian talent which
should be encouraged.
7. The development would be far less detrimental to the area’s rural identity than the
previous domestic developments already granted permission at the site and as a
Council actively promoting Monmouthshire as a place to set up a business, this
would be an ideal business to support.
5.0
ISSUES AND EVALUATION
5.1
Principle of Development
The proposed site is within a former farm unit in the open countryside and would
utilise an existing redundant agricultural building. The proposed equestrian use would
not be within a settlement due to the scale of the building and land required for the
manege but is appropriate in a rural area. The detailed issues relevant to this
application are discussed below.
5.2
Highway Safety
The site is served by the Classified Class 3 Highway known as R101 which leads
from the R106 main thoroughfare through Llangybi. The R101 is a typical minor rural
highway linking the villages of Llangybi and Coed y Paen. The R101 has a series of
passing places along its length between Llangybi and the site. The site is served by an
existing single width vehicular access onto the R101. The horses kept at the stables
are there on a long term basis to be trained and therefore horse boxes and trucks will
not be accessing the site on a regular basis. The applicant offers full livery which
means that not all horses will be visited by their owners every day and many of those
with horses at the site own more than one. In terms of riding out of the site, as there
will be a manege on the site, owners will be able to exercise their horses within the
confines of the site and will not have to use the R101. There is also an extensive
network of bridleways which are easily accessible from the site, again reducing the
need for any riders to use the R101.
The additional traffic generated by owners visiting their horses has been carefully
considered by the Council’s Highway Officer with the existing agricultural use of the
site in mind and it has been concluded that the increase in light vehicles accessing the
site will be offset by the reduction in agricultural vehicles using the access and as
such it would not be reasonable to refuse the application based on highway safety.
5.3
Visual Impact
The building that is to be used to stable the horses is an existing modern agricultural
building and requires no external alterations except from some cosmetic repair work.
The site of the manege will not be visible from the north or west due to other existing
buildings at the site and the topography of the area. Other views will be distant and
partially screened by existing field boundaries of established hedgerows and trees.
5.4
Residential Amenity
The nearest dwellings are the traditional barns to the north west of the stables which
are approximately 25 metres away. It is not considered that the proposed stables will
impact upon the amenity of any future occupiers of this group of buildings any more
than the existing lawful use of the building for agriculture. An ample parking and
turning area has been provided for any visitors to the site.
RECOMMENDATION: APPROVE
Conditions:
1. Standard 5 year commencement time limit.
2. No more than 30 horses shall be stabled at the site at any one time.
3. Passing places shall be provided along the access lane.