Client: Riding for the Disabled Association
Location: Lowlands Equestrian Centre, Old Warwick Road, Shrewley, Warwickshire

Key Highlights:

• Helped to prepare a convincing case for commercial development within the Green Belt
• Clearly articulate our client’s needs in a way which could be understood by the council
• Lead to the creation of local jobs and benefits to the environment.

The team supported Riding for the Disabled Association in defending a new national equestrian training centre.

Riding for the Disabled Association wanted to improve the efficiency of its operations by moving its national head office to its existing training centre. This project will bring improved facilities to create a new national equestrian training centre, helping the association better serve riders with disabilities. However, the existing training centre was in the West Midlands Green Belt where planning policies restrict new developments unless very special circumstances can be demonstrated.

The team worked closely with the Riding for the Disabled Association to prepare and present its arguments for the grant of planning permission. They identified and articulated the key benefits of their proposed development that would represent the very special circumstances.
These included benefits for the health and wellbeing of the people they provide services for, and their staff, in terms of new and better training facilities. The centre will also benefit the economy from the creation of jobs, as well as the environment through the development of new well designed buildings to replace existing lower quality buildings.

The team liaised with the council officers and members to ensure their case was clearly understood and the correct weight was given to their arguments in determining the application. A detailed planning statement was submitted alongside a new planning application to Warwick District Council, which was subsequently granted planning permission.

Photos supplied by Robothams Architects.