# High Kays Lea Farm, Hamsterley

- **Decision:** allowed, 20 August 2026
- **Decided by:** Planning Inspector: K Lancaster
- **Authority:** County Durham (North East)
- **Appeal reference:** 6003496
- **Application reference:** DM/25/02546/FPA
- **Procedure:** written-representations
- **Development:** Change of use of grazing paddock to private all-weather horse arena (50m x 30m, post-and-rail fence, no lighting)
- **Site context:** open-countryside, valued-landscape
- **Green Belt:** no
- **Framework applied:** August 2026 NPPF
- **Determinative policies:** s38(6)
- **Development plan policies:** County Durham Plan 2020 Policies 10, 13
- **Main issues:** character and appearance, rural landscape
- **Tags:** tier-2, equestrian, transitional-no-consultation, landscape-harm-rejected

## Summary
A private horse arena in a paddock at a Durham farmstead, in a locally designated Area of Higher Landscape Value. Allowed. The arena would sit against existing field boundaries, in a lower-lying position behind a tree belt. Its change would be "modest and localised", so it complied with local equestrian policy 13 (DL ¶18). The letter decides the appeal entirely under the local plan and applies no Framework policy.

## What made the difference
Siting that makes use of existing boundaries and landform, and no lighting or buildings. The council's concern that the arena was too large for personal use carried no weight without evidence (DL ¶14).

## Policy findings
- **County Durham Plan Policy 13(c)-(d): accord.** sited against existing boundaries, low-lying, tree belt reinforced; change "modest and localised" in the Area of Higher Landscape Value (DL 11-18)
- **HE7: neutral.** farmhouse is a NDHA; no harm because of separation and level difference (DL 17); code mapped by harvester

## Key facts
- Arena 5.5m below the farmhouse, screened by a mature tree belt; close-range views only from a short stretch of PROW 13
- Local AHLV designation; no lighting
- Parties not re-consulted on the 2026 Framework (DL 2)

## Sources
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/comment-planning-appeal/appeals/6003496
- https://appeal-planning-decision.service.gov.uk/published-document/66f42c20-3a0c-49eb-b630-1daa8507604f

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Source: https://planningdistilled.org/research/england/nppf-navigator/decisions/PINS-6003496.html

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