# Planning permission for outdoor arena



## Willow2 (20 August 2006)

Hello, does anyone have any advice regarding preparing a planning application for an outdoor arena. I am shortly going to be preparing our application and am doing it myself as were using private contractors to do the job rather than one of the companies that include doing the planning permission. 

Does the council ask about vehicle access to the site for building works - the school is only for private use so general access wont be an issue.

What are common restrictions or objections given?

When we did the application for the stables we had drawings of the buildings from the stables people at a ration 1:100. I cant imagine what this would look like for an arena - what information and measurements do you think they would need?

Any advice would be fantastic, many thanks.


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## allijudd (20 August 2006)

depends where you are...our lanning depended on what surface we were going to use and what impact on the enviroment it was going to be....


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## bettens (20 August 2006)

Hi

We did a DIY job.

When you do an application for a sand school it is a bit like putting in outline planning for a house.  You need an architect type person to draw up a line plan on a map showing the position of the arena within the field with a larger map showing position in relation to outlying areas.  

In addition we had to provide details on the fencing, surface type and a cross section indicating drainage etc.

Then of course there is the application form in triplicate and payment.

We were worried because our stud in in a very pretty area with local housing and guest housing looking out over us, we thought there their objection would potentially stop us.  BUT - the good news is that people do not have a right to a view and so unless the arena breaks some actual planning regs local objection should not matter.

We were advised to put in sympathetic planting around the arena to show effort was being made to reduce the impact on the view.  We put this in with plans - basically saying we would plant trees and shrubs native to the area.

Ironically the thing that can stop planning is if the school can be seen from a public footpath and has a negative impact of the view from the footpath.  Ours can - hence the planting plan.

Provided you have all the plans done correctly if it is turned down, study why and make compromises - BUT fight it, once it goes to second attempt and then to government office it is usually passed as the planners don't wnt to get hit with a legal bill.

We also put in a short resume of the importance of the application - less road work, the need to train etc, also a safe starvation paddock.

Hope this helps
Rach


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## Willow2 (20 August 2006)

Hello. many thanks for the reply, when you say you provided the cross section showing drainage etc, did you write details of the fencing, and surface type on the same diagram? Or did you illustrate all of it?

Also, I'm not sure what I would put on the cross section illustration, sorry if that sounds really clueless - I guess our builder can help me with that .... or I might find a diagram in a book.


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## bellgave (20 August 2006)

I know its an extra expense, but having a qualified person takes out a hell of a lot of technical drawings etc. It is much better to present proffesional drawings and plans etc. Also if your architect is "in" with the local council that is a big bonus as he will know what they ask for and they in turn will be familiar with his work etc!!! Good Luck


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## PeterNatt (20 August 2006)

If you would like the benefit of my invaluable advice and experience on this matter:

Get a local surveyor or architect who is familiar with the local planning department to draw up and put in the planning application on your behalf.

Use a professional company that specialises in Menages (recommended to you by other happy customers) to build it for you.

Never ever use a builder that has little or no experience as you will end up with a disaster and waste a lot of money.


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## bettens (20 August 2006)

No not daft at all

Basically the fencing was a description eg our was square wooden posts with three wooden rails set at approximately2 ft 6, 4 ft and 5 ft six with an 8 inch wooden kick board.

The cross section is literally a diagram of what you would see if you chopped down through the school like through a cake - with depths of all the different types of hardcore etc and drainage positions

Rach


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## bettens (20 August 2006)

[ QUOTE ]
Get a local surveyor or architect who is familiar with the local planning department to draw up and put in the planning application on your behalf.


[/ QUOTE ]

Totally agree with this statement.


I think you can DIY but only with experiencd contractors - which is how we did it.  Some of the - all in one - packages can be horrific - but even on a DIY our school came in at nearly 20k

Rach


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## henryhorn (20 August 2006)

We are in a national park and we just drew a diagram with the measurements and a side view showing the mound of earth on one side, and the post and rail fencing.
They need to know the drainage system, and where your surface water will go, but no-one asked about lorry access at all.
the restrictions are normally private use only or no jumps in there, when they asked us about the jumps in the adjoining field we bluffed and said nothing to do with the arena!


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## RunToEarth (20 August 2006)

We didnt formally have to get planning, because there was a building there before, but we had to state change of use, just drew up diagram with measurements and had to sign a contract stating we would not use the arena for income.


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