Northam Burrows ‘ridiculous’ show jump business restrictions overturned

A ‘ridiculous’ decision to ban an international horse breeder and trainer from putting temporary jumps and food and drink feeders on an exercise space for her animals on Northam Burrows has been overturned by Torridge District Council.

Horse of the Year Show 2023 winner Sally Jobson-Scott was granted retrospective consent in February by the council for the all- weather area on the edge of the protected Northam Burrows Country Park, a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), against officers’ advice.

Fears that ‘equestrian paraphernalia’ would detract from the landscape resulted in officers and lead councillors placing a condition on the permission banning any jumps, mobile or temporary structures or buildings on the land off Appledore Road.

Miss Jobson-Scott, who has operated her Follyfoot showjumpers business in that area since the 1990s, said the condition makes it impossible for her to operate her new set up as she can’t put water troughs and hay feeders on the exercise area or portable poo pickers or machinery items necessary for horse welfare and training needs.

She said a hardstanding area used during wet weather doubled up as a training area for young horses when it was dry.

At a recent planning meeting, councillors agreed to amend the condition, again against the advice of planning and conservation officers, so only buildings would be banned in future.

Northam independent councillor Chris Leather said he had been appalled by the way the application had been handled in February, as the council had made such a ‘big song and dance’ about it when it should have been straightforward.

He said the authority even drafted in a heritage officer from Devon County Council to speak against the plan.

Mr Leather said: “For something so simple, this seems incredible. The whole thing is ridiculous. There is lots of horsey culture all along the Appledore Road.”

The council’s conservation officer said it would be harmful to introduce equipment that was not of a natural form or was brightly coloured into an area of natural landscape on the fringe of the country park.

He was concerned that temporary equipment could remain there as there is no authorised storage on site.

Cllr Doug Bushby added his voice to say the council needed to support successful local businesses like this and jumps and additional items are essential to break in and train young horses.

He said he had driven along the road and couldn’t see the site from his vehicle. Mr Bushby said there would be additional screening as that is part of the planning conditions and that people probably wouldn’t see it even if they were in a double decker bus.

Cllr Jane Whittaker said she was sorry the applicant had to come back to the committee to get permission to place water drinkers and feeders on site, but she was concerned about the jumps and did not want to see show jumping training all year round.

Planning manager Helen Smith said it was normal procedure for the chair and vice chair of the committee, together with officers to be delegated permission to come up with conditions on planning applications, if councillors had voted against officers’ advice.