Stables to open after long planning battle (From York Press)

Stables to open after long planning battle

1:00pm Thursday 10th May 2012 in News By Mike Laycock, Chief reporter

AN EQUESTRIAN centre has been opened by a couple in a village near Tadcaster, following a lengthy planning battle.

Steve Hudson and Rachel Harrison have built 21 livery stables and outdoor and indoor riding arenas on 30 acres of land at Hall Lane, on the outskirts of Church Fenton.

Steve, a builder, said the Hall Lane Stables development, which could eventually create three jobs, was the culmination of a four-year wrangle that started when they sought planning permission from Selby District Council in 2008.

The Press reported then how the proposal had prompted protests from some local residents, who signed an 82-name petition opposing the facility.

The authority's own environmental health managers also raised concerns about noise, traffic and the smell and insects that could be created.

But Steve said concerns had been unfounded. For example, people had been worried about the amount of traffic that would be entering and leaving the site, but this was because they had wrongly thought that a riding school was being proposed..

He said such a riding school might have meant cars arriving and departing all day long, but in fact the livery yard stables would be rented out by people who owned horses and wanted to keep them there, and who would only be arriving and leaving once a day at most.

He said the opposition had led the district council to refuse planning permission, and he had then lodged an appeal which had eventually gone to a public hearing. An inspector had then decided to overturn the council’s decision and grant permission.

He said work on the centre was nearing completion and the first stables had been let out.

He added that he now planned to return to building work, leaving Rachel, who has trained racehorses for years, to run the centre. For further information, contact 07960 300264.