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A PLAN to establish horse paddocks and build stables on land near the River Stour at Kedington has been approved by planners, despite divided opinions of neighbours and objections by the parish council.

Members of St Edmundsbury Borough Council’s planning committee approved the plan for former agricultural land in Rectory Road, opposite Barton Grove. Consent was subject to a number of conditions, including an additional one that a wildlife management scheme be included.

Kedington Parish Council objected because they felt the stables would be a nuisance to neighbours from noise and smell, they would harm the view, clearance of the land would harm flora and fauna, plus loss of trees, and the area had only ever been used for grazing cattle not keeping horses.

One letter of support for the plan was signed by eight neighbours, but ten letters of objection were also sent. Reasons included the loss of wildlife, that the site is a water meadow which often floods, the stable block would be too big and close to houses.

Concerns were also raised about the potential for a riding school, loss of vegetation, the new access to Rectory Road, storage of effluent and that the horses were likely to ruin the land.

The report to planners said the land was not currently managed and overgrown, only used for walking. The stables would be at a distance not to cause harm to neighbours and were not considered visually intrusive

Most of the trees would be kept and traffic generation would be limited. Effluent from the site could be controlled by conditions, whereas no consent would he needed for cattle to graze there.

“It is considered that the plan complies with policies within the Structure and Local Plans and would enable long term management and protection of the site without any unreasonable loss of rural or residential amenities the report said.