Plans for American barn-style stables in the Forest of Dean have been given the go-ahead amid concerns over soil erosion.

District planners considered the scheme which involves changing almost five hectares of farmland to mixed agricultural and equestrian use near Drybrook at a meeting yesterday (February 10).

The proposals include a 30m by 15m barn with eight stables and a manège of 40m by 30m enclosed with a wooden post and rail fence to a height of 1.4 m with a wooden gateway.

The proposals also include a 3m by 3m muck store built on three sides, with 1m-high concrete panels on a concrete base, and a roof.

Councillor Trevor Roach (G, Mitcheldean, Ruardean and Drybrook) raised concerns about potential soil erosion on the site at the Forest of Dean District Council’s development management committee.

“Wih the onset of climate change creating really challenging pressures on land management,” he said.

“When we looked at the incline on a slope as we did last week with just a few horses crammed in a small place it quickly turned into a quagmire.

“There’s every chance if we have winters like this continuously, looking after eight horses on 12 acres is going to cause a lot of soil erosion.”

He said he was happy for it to be a case study but struggled to decide whether he should object to the plans or not.

Councillor Simon Phelps (G, Wesbury-on-Severn) said horses seemed to be allowed to be kept in filthy conditions and covered in mud and that the present state of the land there is unacceptable.

“It will exacerbate the run off as we witnessed on the day we were up there,” he said.

He also said it could lead to the almost total destruction of the grassland habitat.

Councillor John Francis (I, Longhope and Huntley) said he supported the plans.

“The use of manege for exercising the horses would be beneficial,” he said. “It would give a chance for the ground to recover for the soil structure to be maintained.”

Councillor Beth Llewellyn (G, Bream) proposed approving the plans in line with the officer’s recommendation as she too believed the plans would be to the benefit of the horses.

Councillors voted to approve the plans with six votes in favour, one abstention and one against.

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