For those who didn’t follow the live coverage of the Planning Committee, what follows are the notes taken down during the meeting by Simon, regarding the application for variation of permission for equestrian purposes at Ashey Common Farm, Deacons Lane, Ashey
Planning officer: Position of buildings (away from main cluster of buildings) is due to the application not owning the land near.
Acceptable – recommend conditional permission.
Mr Cadder? – representing residents. Clients moved in with what was around them.
It looks like people can buy a piece of land and eventually get planning permission for what ever they want.
Messing around at being farmers. How can a hobby have so many horses? We cannot see how this can be used for private use.
Liz Bell – local council – scale of development is too large. Too much traffic for a quite road. Conditions – no caravans. No waste, hay or food not in buildings. No manure to be burnt on site.
Mr Bucket (?) – Applicant – Owned the land for two years. Been there everyday. Been in farming for half of my life. Manage a 400 acre site on the mainland – a well known jockey. We don’t intend to make money out of it. We choose to spend our money on horses. It feels like we’ve upset the wrong people.
Cllr Churchman – it’s not a waste of time to listen to planning applications. Constituents are very concerned with the impact. There are fair few accidents around this area. I don’t see five horses as a hobby – it’s bordering on a business.
Two years ago applicant applied for a gate for agricultural use – that opened the thin end of the edge.
The land borders the railway, which is a big tourist attraction. It could well destroy the character.
18:12 – Mr Pegram – It’s not uncommon to see small scale stables sites being built. What _might_ happen isn’t a reason to refuse. Applicant has three horses and one foal.
18:15 – Cllr Burt – Is this just a summer site, as there doesn’t appear to be a road?
Proposed and seconded.
Cllr Miller – It’s not up to us how many horses people should have – if they want to spend all of their money on horses, it’s up to them. A couple of other bits.
Mr Jolly (?) Highway (?) – There did used to be a substantial dairy along there.
Mr Pegram – The layout of the buildings give a minimum visual impact.
Mr Pegram – Grasscrete – propriety product, let’s grass grown through while letting vehicles drive on it.
Cllr Mosdell – the longer I’ve sat here the more concerned I’ve become of this Island. I’ve just seen how areas on the mainland have been kept as they are. It’s an intrusion in the countryside. I don’t think the officers have made the case.
Poll barns went out with the arc. The land is historic agricultural land.
18:25 Mr Murphy – answered Cllr Mosdell questions – at length.
Cllr Burt – I’d like to second Cllr Mosdell. I’d like to see it closer to the gate, so we don’t have the road.
One proposal. One refusal.
Vote
7 for approval
2 against
It’s approved.
