Plans for a new indoor equestrian sports centre in Barnets green belt have run up against a new legal hurdle after the High Court upheld the local councils decision not to allow an indoor arena on the site.
Belmont Riding Centre, in Mill Hill, failed in its appeal against an earlier decision of the Secretary of State backing the councils view that an indoor school was undesirable. However, the centres challenge to planning restrictions imposed on the construction of an outdoor manege (riding area) succeeded, and that matter has been sent back to the Environment Secretary for reconsideration.
The Belmont scheme, backed by leading names in the sport including Captain Mark Phillips, was intended to replace outdated facilities and turn the centre into a prestige venue for sports such as dressage, show-jumping and polo, which would turn around the centres finances.
It was the hope of the centres owners, the court was told, that the proposed new indoor arena would draw in people from the large urban area to the south of the centre, where some might never even have seen a horse.
But Barnet Council opposed the move on the grounds that the arena would drastically increase the area of building on the green belt site from 1865m² to 7830m². They did not consider that the development merited treatment as a special case for green belt development.
The council took the view that the proposed indoor arena would shift the balance of events at the centre in favour of indoor competition, bringing the scheme outside exceptions for promoting outdoor sport contained in green belt legislation.
They maintained that there were over 150 sites for equestrian activity north of the Thames, and that the Sports Council favoured a site in Hickstead as its centre of excellence for the south-east region, supporting national and international events.
The DETR inspector accepted that view and vetoed the arena, despite assertions by the owners of the centre that the balance between indoor and outdoor events would not be affected, and that the indoor arena would just permit more competitions to go ahead in poor weather.
In the High Court, John Taylor QC, counsel for the owners, argued that delays had rendered the DETR inquiry into the matter unfair, and that the notes of the inspector who began the inquiry were not sufficient for a replacement inspector who took over after the first one fell ill. He also argued that the reasons given for the final decision were insufficient.
Rejecting the centres challenge, however, Sullivan J said he considered that the inspectors report had “passed muster”.
He said that adequate reasons were given in a comprehensive report, and that fairness did not require an inspector to make notes suitable for use by someone else in the event of illness. It would be unreasonable to impose such a duty in every case.
Belmont Riding Centre Ltd v Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and another Queens Bench Division (Sullivan J) 12 October 2000
PLS News 17/10/00
