WINCHESTER'S planning committee was left "conflicted" by an application to change the use of a field near the Meon Valley Trail.
Civic chiefs rejected the equestrian plans by Carolyn Collins for the land off Mill Lane, in Swanmore, despite officers’ recommendation to approve it with the condition it is only used for private and personal use and a maximum of eight horses.
The city council planning committee was swayed, at a meeting on Wednesday, March 13 by objections from residents and Soberton Parish Council who argue that the development would ruin the “tranquillity” of the area and lead to future commercial use.
The plans include a barn with stables, a tack room, feed and hay store. Council officer Drew Blackman explained that a previous submission was withdrawn following advice that the site be moved to a less prominent location, further from the Meon Valley Trail, with a much smaller parking area.
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Richard Ward, who lives 100m down the road, emphasised that the condition that the facility remains for private use hasn’t convinced residents that it won’t become commercial in future.
He said: “This is a commercial site. This facility is too large to be for personal use. It’s a very large investment for private use. The excuse used is that the person’s daughter is in the Great Britain team but she left them in 2016 and hasn’t been involved in the squad ever since.
“It’s a very quiet area and we don’t have any traffic. The only traffic is predominantly on foot."
John Hyland, who is a member of Soberton Parish Council and the South Downs National Park Authority, said: “The parish council objects to the change of use of this site. There would be a loss of tranquillity and a lot of noise. It is the Meon Valley Trail we are concerned about – it’s a major route into the South Downs National Park.
“The intensification will destroy the silence. The fundamental thing is the disturbance. The first purpose of the national park is to preserve and enhance and this application doesn’t do that."
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Cllr Chris Edwards, deputy chair of the planning committee, said: “I’m so very conflicted. It’s their money and their land but we have a duty that equestrian developments have a positive impact. It’s difficult for me to reconcile this scale of development with what we have seen.”
Cllr Jane Rutter, committee chair, said: “I’m very conflicted. The possibility that in due course this could be a commercial site would fill me with horror because it’s not in the right place for that sort of use.
“It’s a no-through road so normally it’s very quiet. My instinct is to say it’s a step too far and the impact on the South Downs National Park is unacceptable.”
Cllr Jonathan Williams said: “We have to view the application as it is. With the proposed conditions I’m confident that the application wouldn’t have an adverse impact moving to equestrian use.”
The plan was refused, for its disruption to tranquillity and going against the policies in the local plan, by eight votes to one with Cllr Williams abstaining.
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