Rural Workers Dwelling Approved in Essex

We are really pleased to have secured planning permission for a rural workers dwelling for our client, who is a horse race trainer in Ardleigh, Essex.

Our client is a successful horse race trainer who is growing quickly in reputation, with a number of notable wins. His work requires him to live on site and work long hours. He had previously sought planning permission for a rural workers on two separate occasions, but in both instances Tendring District Council refused the applications and the subsequent appeals were dismissed. We were approached following the second dismissal to provide our opinion and seek a way forward through the planning process. It quickly became apparent to us that the previous applications had not been clearly presented and lacked the critical evidence required to justify such developments.

Even though the site is outside of a defined settlement boundary and in an isolated location, the principle of a rural workers dwelling could be deemed acceptable in accordance with the provisions of the NPPF.

When our client established the horse training enterprise, he acquired some land that had previously belonged to his father who runs the adjacent stud farm. Our first challenge was to demonstrate that the horse trainers business was in fact a separate entity to the stud farm. The lack of clarity on this issue had worked against the previous planning applications and appeals and it appeared that both Tendring District Council and the Planning Inspectorate were confused in regards to the distinction between the different enterprises. We provided detailed information explaining the role and function of both businesses, together with appropriate accounts to justify this issue.

We also needed to demonstrate that a proven need existing for rural workers dwelling for a horse race trainer. This required a detailed assessment of our client’s daily working life and management of the existing horse training facility, together with an assessment of health and security issues that are important considerations for equestrian activities. This proved critical in helping the Council understand the existing situation and the need for a new dwelling on site.

Rural workers dwellings always receive a significant level of scrutiny as they are often in isolated locations where the principle of a housing development is not normally supported. The experience in this case demonstrates that a refusal or even a number of refusals may not mean that project cannot progress further, as provided a thorough and fully evidenced planning submission is put together to justify development then there is a high probability of planning success.At ADP we are often involved in a variety of development proposals, including rural workers dwellings.

If you require assistance to take your project forward, please contact us at mail@adpltd.co.uk

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