Burntwood plans for equestrian land agreed by councillors

Councillors heard that the development would represent encroachment of residential use into the open countryside.

However, a planning application agreed in 1991 approved the ‘extension of domestic curtilage and erection of stables’ for the land at Chorley Road in Burntwood. Now the buildings that were on the site have been removed.

Now the area has been subsumed into the residential property’s boundary and the application seeks to formalise the arrangement. Burntwood Town Council objected to the proposal claiming that it would detract from the openness, character and permanence of the green belt.

Councillor Di Evans commented: “This site is very open and prominent and it overlooks Gentleshaw Common as it goes up a hill. 

"It is inappropriate development in the greenbelt but we are where we are now and I think the best solution is to actually go along with what the officer has recommended because if we refuse it now we obviously will be in a difficult situation because of the permission on there and it means that other things can go there.

“We are going against what is said about Greenbelt. I think it’s a sad situation that the person who has got this property has actually put things there that really do not fit in with the area, such as the fencing and they’ve removed the natural hedge and put a laurel hedge in.

“I think we really have to go along with what we are being asked to go along with now because if we don’t we could be in a more difficult situation in the future.”

Councillor Serena Mears added: “I think there’s a premeditation to build on it because there’s only hard standing there. I think it’s as clear as day what the intention is with this.”

A planning office attempted to reassure councillors that conditions on the application if granted, would give the authority control over any future development on the site. The officer said: “The condition I’ve proposed removed all permitted development rights covered by the entire general permitted development order.

“This means effectively the land has absolutely no permitted development rights whatsoever. The significance of that is it stops them from being able to build an outbuilding, stables or something next to the house on the land and in the future creep it into a dwelling house and create something separate.

“Everything would have to come through the council as a planning application, so full control over how the land is developed in terms of building will be in the council’s control in the future.”