To buy a copy of our advisory 2012 Horse Pasture calendar please visit the Horse Pasture Management Project Calendar page.
The purpose of this guidance is to supply guidance on stable design, materials and construction. The guidance is also intended to give a brief outline as to the impact of such structures on Surrey's landscape. The guidance demonstrates how good design can enhance local distinctiveness. Please be aware that the information on this page is available with pictures as a PDF at the end of the page.
Surrey is a beautiful county, with over 25% having been designated the Surrey Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which is a landscape of national importance. Also much of the county is designated as Green Belt, where there is a presumption against inappropriate development. Special planning controls are in place to protect the countryside from development that might damage its particular qualities, as well as to ensure that where development is acceptable it fits in well with its surroundings, does not cause traffic hazards or impact on the amenities of neighbours.
Before proceeding with development for which planning permission is needed, approval must be sought from the local planning authority. It may be helpful to discuss proposals informally with a planning officer before submitting an application. It can also help if you talk to neighbours and the parish council and take any concerns into account when preparing your proposal.
Every local authority will have its own Local Plan with policies relating to horse keeping. Some local planning authorities produce Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) relating specifically to horse keeping, and the Horse Pasture Project is producing Simple Planning Guidance for horse keepers! Planning permission is necessary to change the use of land for exercising, training and jumping horses. Permission is usually required for stables, horse-related development, and some fencing. In specific areas where the countryside is especially sensitive to damage, other relatively minor development may be controlled.
Much of Surrey is covered by Green Belt policy and new buildings are not normally considered to be appropriate and will only be permitted if they comprise essential facilities for outdoor sport and outdoor recreation. The golden rule is to always ask the planning department whether or not you need permission for proposals to erect new buildings or structures, whether temporary or permanent, or to change the use of land or buildings. Planning departments are a great source of free advice, so it is a good idea to use them. Some councils may ask you to submit a formal application for a Certificate of Lawfulness of Proposed Use or Development to determine if your proposal requires planning permission.
It is not only the landowner who can apply for planning permission. A tenant or horse owner or keeper can apply for permission on a piece of land, but they must get the owner’s permission before they start building of course!
The welfare of horses and ponies must be the primary consideration. The Equine Industry Welfare Guidelines set out minimum requirements for housing horses and ponies. The size (and type) of stabling will be dependent on the size, type and requirement of the horses and ponies to be stabled. Perhaps it is better to consider the future when building new stables, and allow for the 12.2hh pony’s stable to be large enough to accommodate the 15.2hh horse that a child might grow into! Equally, rather than expecting a broodmare to foal in a standard 3.7m x 3.7m (12’ x 12’) stable, if you have allowed for a foaling box, it can perhaps be used as a hay store in the eleven months leading up to foaling. Your local BHS welfare officer is available for guidance.
As well as basic welfare considerations, safety must be taken into account when designing buildings for horses and ponies. Electrical fittings must be positioned so that horses and ponies cannot reach them, sockets must be to an appropriate external standard and light fittings should be caged for safety. Fire precautions must be followed, with fire fighting equipment in a readily accessible position. An area of fenced hardstanding outside of the stables is generally included in the design. This serves many useful purposes, including that of enclosing the horse or pony if he escapes in the night!
New buildings must be as inconspicuous as is possible to minimise the impact they may have on the landscape. Careful siting can reduce the impact. Ideally, new development should link in with any existing buildings to make it as unobtrusive as possible. Using natural folds in the landscape, or surrounding shelterbelts or copses of trees can render new buildings inconspicuous. Design of new development should always avoid siting buildings in an elevated position on the open skyline where they will appear to be most prominent. Local Planning Authorities normally seek to limit the amount of stables to what is appropriate in size and scale to the fields concerned.
Whilst earth 'bunds' may be a useful way of dealing with any arisings from excavations of soil from the base of buildings, they can cause a very artificial landscape to be created. A great deal of care should be given to their use. As with all new planting in the countryside, any hedges or trees planted to screen buildings must be suitable and ideally of native species. Species which grow naturally in your local area will generally grow more quickly and happily than non-natives.
Basic guidelines for the size of a stable is that it should be large enough for a horse or pony to stand up with at least 0.9m (3') clearance above it's head, and with sufficient space to lie down, stand up and turn around without difficulty. A rule of thumb recommended by the BHS is that a pony would need a 3m x 3.7 m (10' x x12') floor area, and a horse 3.7m x 3.7m (12' x 12'). The height should be between 2.7m and 3.4m (9' & 11'), with stable doors a minimum 1.2m (4') wide, and 2.3m (7'6") high, with the bottom door being 1.2m (4') high.
Good ventilation is essential, and must be achieved without placing the horse or pony in a draughty environment. High-pitched ceilings improve ventilation by allowing a greater volume of air to circulate, diluting any ammonia resulting from urine. High-level vents, preferably at the ridge, are essential to allow continuous air movement around the stable. A window in the back as well as the front is a plus point, as the free flow of air will further improve ventilation, and your horse will appreciate the extra view!
The most artificial colour seen in the landscape is white. Not even sheep are white, and a horse is never described as white. In fact the only white you will see in the natural landscape is rubbish - namely plastic bags! The colours that generally blend into the landscape are dark colours. Brown and even black is unobtrusive for most of the year, except when at the top of a hill and seen against the skyline. Look around and notice how the natural landscape features are not green, but dark brown or black. Look at buildings in the countryside and think of how they blend (or don't!) with their surroundings.
By using dark colours on your stables and buildings, you can make them less intrusive in the landscape. Timber buildings can be treated with a dark wood stain, and concrete block buildings can be painted a dark colour. Roofs should be either a very dark brown or black.
Different materials will be suitable in different areas of Surrey. Again, as with colour, materials can have an important effect on landscape character areas, and it is important to look around and appreciate what buildings blend in with the landscape and give a sense of local distinctiveness. Historically, 'tarred' weather boarding is by far the most common cladding, or covering, for timber framed buildings, whilst the orangey browns of locally made bricks may be an appropriate material in areas of the county where barns and stables were historically built from locally produced bricks.
Whilst the walls of stabling must be able to withstand any damage from horses and ponies, they must also ensure that horses and ponies cannot damage themselves, especially if they were to get stuck, or 'cast' in the corner. Traditionally, timber 'kick-boards' are used on the lower half of stable walls, to a height of 1.2m (4'), particularly if the walls are constructed of brick or block as they are less likely to injure the animal.
The floor should be of a hard wearing, waterproof and non-slip material. Concrete is generally used, and must be carefully laid in order that it is non-slip and that it has sufficient 'fall' across it so that it drains to a suitable gully and soakaway. Rubber matting can be used on stable floors to both reduce the amount of bedding required, and to create a warmer and more comfortable surface.
Whilst the first consideration must be to keep the stabling dry, the importance of good ventilation cannot be over emphasised. Ridge vents not only help improve ventilation but also prevent any condensation forming. Various roofing materials can be used, from roof tiles or slate, which are extremely expensive, but probably the most visually attractive, to corrugated sheets of metal, which whilst cheap can cause problems of condensation and are extremely noisy when it rains! An excellent roof type is roofing felt, which should be of a sympathetic colour.
Most stables will need a variety of services:
This is arguably the most important requirement of your horse or pony. A clean supply of fresh water must be supplied at all times. The supply should conform to the Water Fittings Regulations 1999 (see Water Regulations Advice Note). The outline of these regulations are common sense, such as expecting water supplies to be protected from freezing, preventing water from being sucked back into the main supply from a dirty trough or bucket and ensuring that a stop-valve is fitted to the supply. The water supply to stables should be in a convenient position, but placed out of the reach of horses and ponies.
Whilst it is not vital to have mains electricity, it is useful and lighting may be essential if a vet is called in the night. Batteries can supply sufficient power for simple stable lighting, but recharging these can be inconvenient. Alternative sources of energy (such as solar panels) are suitable for some stables and should be investigated. Any electrical supply must be out of reach of horses and ponies. When considering lighting the outside of stables, think about the impact of such lighting on the surrounding landscape, and think about the modern problem of 'light pollution', whereby it is often difficult to see the beautiful night sky because of intrusive local lighting. The use of external lighting should be considered particularly carefully in the country, with lights operated by PIR's.
An access track or roadway is often essential to get to and from the stables from a public highway. But consider the suitability and impact of the surface material in relation to the setting of the yard. New access tracks and roads will require planning permission. A well thought out design might allow for the roadway to be screened from view by hedges of mixed native plant species.
Management of the muckheap is an important issue for horses and ponies, their owners and keepers and their neighbours! (see Manure storage and disposal advice note). The muckheap must be sited where it will not contaminate watercourses such as rivers, streams and ditches, as well as groundwater. It must not be sited where it will cause a nuisance, such as to houses and users of public rights of way. And it must be sited where it can be conveniently accessed from both the stables and the road if it is to be collected for disposal. It should not be too close to the stables as to cause a nuisance to horses and ponies from flies. Ideally the muck heap should have a solid base and sides to enclose it.
Erecting new stables and buildings, and refurbishing existing ones is expensive, but if well constructed and maintained they will last for a long time, keeping your horses and ponies safe and well and protected from the elements. It is important that any new buildings are visually pleasing and are appropriate additions to the local scenery. Well kept horses and ponies, in a well-managed landscape can have a positive effect on the countryside. A small effort made when designing new stabling or converting and refurbishing existing buildings can lead to a big impact on the local landscape as well as to the health of your horse or pony!
The advice note is also available in a PDF version by following the link below.
Horse Pasture Management Project advice note
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/?a=204270
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Copyright © 2012 Surrey County Council
