PLANS for an outdoor equestrian arena in the Hampshire countryside have been refused, three years after they were submitted. 

In 2021 Mark Hallion applied for the part-retrospective arena at Blackwater Equestrian in Foxes Lane, West Wellow.

This comes after a controversial proposal for an indoor equestrian arena at the same site was approved. 

The latest plan was refused on January 31, with Test Valley Borough Council saying it was waiting for the applicant to submit additional information. After the details were not submitted, planning officers proceeded with the decision.

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A Test Valley Borough Council spokesman said: “When the planning application was first submitted, council officers requested additional information and plans from the applicant to assist with consideration of the scheme. As the additional information was never submitted, and the application was not withdrawn by the applicant, the proposal was moved forward to determination based on the details originally submitted. The decision was to refuse planning permission.” 

The scheme received an objection from Wellow Parish Council as well as 22 from members of the public. 

In the planning officers' decision report, it said: “The proposal would support rural business and rural employment in accordance with the general aims of the NPPF. The proposal would also provide some employment opportunities and associated expenditure during the construction phase. However, any benefits to the rural economy and employment would be modest due to the relatively small scale of this addition to the business.

“Nonetheless, some of these benefits already exist within the applicant’s existing enterprise and which planning permission has already been granted within the wider site. It is considered that only minimal weight in favour of the proposal can be afforded to these matters. Taking into consideration the above benefits it is considered that these do not outweigh the real and substantial harm to the character and appearance of the area and the application should be refused.

“For the reasons set out above it is considered that the proposed development by virtue of its size, design, location, materials and elevated position would result in a discordant and prominent feature in this rural location resulting in visual harm to the character and appearance of the area and conflict with Policy E1 and E2 of the TVRLP and the NPPF. In the absence of any justification benefits to overcome this harm the application should be refused.”