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Notice varied and upheld20 January 20253327439

Land at Higher Counthill Farm, Turf Pit Lane, Oldham, OL4 2PZ

Planning appeal 3327439 at Land at Higher Counthill Farm, Turf Pit Lane, Oldham, OL4 2PZ (Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council) was allowed in part (a split decision) on 20 January 2025 by Inspector Hartley D, by written representations. The main issue, as the Inspector framed it: whether the breach of planning control as a whole, including the floodlights, constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt including its effect on Green Belt openness and purposes.

use of the land as a riding arena for equestrian purposes and the associated raising of land levels and the construction of an artificial surface, boundary fencing, and lighting columns on the land to facilitate the unauthorised use of the riding arena

Authority
Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council
Appeal type
enforcement · Enforcement Notice
Procedure
Written Representations
Development
leisure-sport · Other minor developments
Inspector
Hartley D
Postcode
OL4 2PZ

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

  • whether the breach of planning control as a whole, including the floodlights, constitutes inappropriate development in the Green Belt including its effect on Green Belt openness and purposes
  • the effect of the breach of planning control, including the floodlights, on the character and appearance of the area
  • if the breach of planning control is inappropriate development in the Green Belt, whether the harm by reason of inappropriateness, and any other harm, is clearly outweighed by other considerations so as to amount to the very special circumstances necessary to justify development

What decided it

The floodlights, when considered with the riding arenas and fencing, constitute inappropriate development in the Green Belt that harms openness and character, and the harm is not clearly outweighed by other considerations including the benefits to horse welfare and exercise opportunities.

What the Inspector cited

Development plan policies
JP-P1
National Planning Policy Framework
Paragraph 143Paragraph 153Paragraph 154Paragraph 155

How the Inspector dealt with each one is set out in the app, in order: the development plan, national policy, housing land supply, other considerations and the planning balance, beside the letter.

See how each was applied

The decision letter

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More decisions in Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council

The authority’s record since 2016 · every decision in 2025

  1. Dismissed10 August 20266009617
    The Stables, 67 Thornham Road, Shaw, OL2 7HR
  2. Notice varied and upheld29 June 20263372628
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  3. Dismissed28 April 20263359774
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  4. Dismissed20 April 20263375124
    Clough Manor Hotel, Rochdale Road, Denshaw, Oldham, OL3 5UE
  5. Invalid12 March 20263351664
    13 Queens Road, Oldham, OL8 2AX

The main issues, what decided it, the planning balance and the policies and judgments listed as cited are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro and are our summary, not the Inspector’s words; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

In the app this decision sits on the map beside every appeal around it, with its letter to read and the main issues, policies and judgments cited picked out.