Hope for riders in bid to keep their horses (From Gazette & Herald)

Hope for riders in bid to keep their horses

RIDERS in a North Yorkshire village have been given hope they can continue to keep their horses after a Government inspector ruled they "preserved" the openness of Green Belt land.

In the past year, three applications have been submitted to Ryedale District Council's planning department as residents in and around Gate Helmsley, near York, bid to keep their horses in fields nearby.

Appeal inspector Clive Whitehouse ruled that Derek Rea's application - to keep horses on land next to his home on the outskirts of the village - should be allowed.

"In my opinion the use of the land for keeping horses for recreational purposes preserves the openness of the Green Belt and is consistent with local and national policies," he concluded.

"I consider that the development does not detract from the open character or visual amenity of the Green Belt." Resident Mandy Dziemianko, who is expecting a visit from appeals inspector Sue Rolstone on January 27, said: "If you are going to keep horses then of course you want to preserve the open spaces."

The Evening Press reported last January how Mrs Dziemianko had been told by the council that she had to pull down straw and feed sheds in her garden.

"It has been a horrible last year - we received the council's letter on Christmas Eve, and it was awful."

The district council said she had not obtained permission for the sheds, and was therefore in breach of planning regulations.

She added: "I will take whatever decision the inspector says, but I hope she has a bit of common sense."

Nigel and Jill Kennedy, who also have horses in fields on the outskirts of Gate Helmsley, are expected to find out at a council meeting next week whether they will be able to keep their animals there.

They have applied to the central area planning committee for a change of use of land and buildings to equestrian use, and hope to build a perspex and straw bale shed to store hay and straw at the site.

District council officer David Butt has recommended the application for refusal.

But Mr Kennedy said he hoped councillors would make their own minds up. "The officers have an agenda to follow in black and white and they can quote all these different policies, but common sense should come into it."

Members are expected to make their decision on Tuesday.

Updated: 09:47 Friday, January 10, 2003