Do You Need Planning Permission to Build an Equestrian Building

If you’re planning to build a permanent stable, American barn, riding arena or other equestrian building, you will usually need planning permission before construction begins.

However, permission can vary depending on what you’re building, where it will be located and how the land is being used.

For example, a small stable within the garden of your home may benefit from permitted development rights, while a stable block on a field used for keeping horses will usually require a planning application.

We’ll break down the rules for the buildings we design most often, including stables, riding arenas, American barns, hay barns and field shelters. 

Which Equestrian Building Do You Need Planning Permission For?

Any new permanent equestrian structure on your land needs planning permission, especially if it’s used for commercial or non-domestic purposes.

• Equestrian stables – almost always need planning permission, with a narrow exception for small private stables built within the curtilage of a house
• Riding arenas (menages) – usually need permission, especially once drainage, fencing or a new surface is added
• American barns – need full planning permission in almost every case, as they combine stabling, storage and working space under one roof
• Hay barns and feed stores – can fall under agricultural permitted development on a working farm but not on land used purely for leisure horses
• Field shelters – some temporary or mobile shelters can avoid the need for permission, depending on size, location and land use.

You might not need planning permission for:

• Grazing horses in a field with no new structures or supplementary feeding stations
• A mobile field shelter or temporary structure that’s regularly moved and not fixed to foundations
• Short-term use of land for something like a one-off show, usually allowed for up to 28 days a year if everything is cleared away afterwards
• A very small stable built within the curtilage of your house

It’s always best to check with your local planning authority before starting work. 

Why Aren’t Horses Classed as Agricultural Animals in Planning Law?

Under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, agricultural land use covers dairy farming, arable crops, market gardens and grazing land for farm livestock. Horses kept for riding, competing or breeding for sport don’t fall into that definition. The only horses treated as agricultural are those working directly for a farming business, such as pulling machinery on a smallholding. 

Changing Agricultural Land to Equestrian Use

Planning permission isn’t only about the building itself.

Changing the use of land can also require planning permission. This is particularly important if you own agricultural land and want to start using it for horses.

For example, if you have a field currently used for agricultural purposes and want to turn it into an equestrian yard with stables, you may need permission for the change of use as well as the buildings.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Stable Building?

Yes. A permanent equestrian stable requires planning permission when it is built on paddock or agricultural land.

This includes steel-framed stable buildings that are fixed to a permanent base.

The one real exception is a small stable built inside the curtilage of your house, which can sometimes be covered by householder permitted development rights. However, it must stay under strict height and coverage limits and doesn’t sit in front of your house. 

You will normally need a planning application if:

• The stables are being built on separate agricultural or paddock land.
• The building is for commercial use, such as livery or riding lessons.
• The proposal involves a change from agricultural to equestrian use.
• The site is in a designated or protected area where additional restrictions apply.
• The building does not meet the requirements for permitted development.

If you’re weighing up materials as well as permissions, our article on future-proofing your yard with a steel stable building covers the design side in more detail.

Do You Need Planning Permission for an American Barn?

Yes. American barns are permanent equestrian buildings that combine stabling, storage and access space within one structure.

Because they are permanent buildings, an American barn will normally require planning permission when proposed on a paddock agricultural land.

Planning permission may also be required when converting an existing agricultural building into an American barn for equestrian use.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Riding Arena or Menage?

Both indoor and outdoor riding arenas usually need planning permission, though the reasons differ slightly. An indoor arena is a building in its own right, so it needs consent in the same way a stable or American barn does. An outdoor menage doesn’t have a roof or walls, but installing drainage, laying a sub-base and putting up perimeter fencing are all classed as engineering operations, which counts as development on its own.

Do You Need Planning Permission for a Field Shelter?

A mobile field shelter can be installed without planning permission in some circumstances. The important point is that it must remain mobile rather than becoming a permanent structure. A mobile field shelter should:

• Sit on skids or another suitable towing base
• Remain capable of being moved
• Not have permanent foundations
• Be moved between locations rather than remaining permanently in one place

If you install a shelter on a concrete base, anchor it permanently or leave it in one location, it may be treated as a permanent building.

The way you use the shelter also matters. A shelter being used as permanent stabling is different from a temporary shelter used for grazing horses.

If you’re considering a steel field shelter, check the planning position with your local planning authority before installation.

Plan Your Equestrian Building With Kit Buildings Direct

Kit Buildings Direct has been designing and installing steel equestrian buildings across the UK since 1974, from individual stable buildings and American barns to full indoor riding arenas. We understand how planning requirements shape a build, and we design with that in mind from the first conversation.

Our equestrian stables are manufactured in Derbyshire using UKCA-marked steelwork and tailored to your yard, with clear technical drawings ready to support your planning application. Get in touch with our team for a free quotation, and we’ll help you plan a building that suits your yard and is easy to get approved.

We cover the whole of the UK. Find out more about the areas we cover: Leeds, Bristol, Norwich and Lincoln.