Plans to change buildings into holiday lets and build riding area at farm near Shrewsbury
Farm buildings could be turned into four holiday lets under plans going before planning chiefs.
The Dalley family also want to turn an agricultural building into stables, build an outdoor riding arena and change the vehicular access and parking at Meadowtown Farm, near Shrewsbury.
The plans, which are going before Shropshire Council’s South Planning Committee next Wednesday, are recommended for approval.
It is on the basis, however, that only the farm owner’s horses are based and used on the site and not those belonging to visitors.
Trystan Williams, planning case officer, said: “This application seeks full planning permission to convert two former agricultural buildings, referred to as the Grain Barn and the Milking Barn into four units of self-contained holiday accommodation.
“They want to use another building for stabling horses, form car parking/turning areas alongside, reinstate an overgrown access drive off a field gate to the north, and form a 20 x 40-metre manège (outdoor riding arena).”
He added: “The development is acceptable in principle given the location within a community cluster settlement, and the fact that it would reuse existing redundant farm buildings.
“The design is satisfactory, and there are no undue or insurmountable concerns regarding the historic environment, landscape character, residential amenity, highway safety, drainage, water supply or fire safety.
“Furthermore, although two small transitional bat roosts would be disturbed, the three tests set out in the EPS matrix are satisfied.
“Overall, therefore, the application accords with the principal determining criteria of the relevant development plan policies and approval is recommended, subject to conditions to reinforce the critical aspects.”
Objections were received from 11 separate properties, with concerns including the application not being supported by any detailed business plan or market research.
Other concerns included: “It is unclear that the applicants have the necessary expertise to run an equestrian business, or that there has been any application for a licence under relevant animal welfare legislation.
“It is unclear whether the manège would be inside a building or open-air. Either way it would be noisy and visually intrusive in its revised position.
“The development would cause light pollution in this area of dark skies.
“The development could increase littering. Additional traffic, people noise and general disturbance would detract from the area’s tranquillity and residential amenity.”
