Wiltshire councillors have supported plans for a private stable and ménage at Greens Lane, Calstone, despite residential concerns over flooding and access to the site.

Councillors voted in favour of the application, to include three loose boxes, a tack room, a larger feed and bedding store, and a 20 by 40 metre ménage, at a meeting of the northern area planning committee on November 13.

The stable and ménage, to be used by a private owner, will sit in the open countryside within the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Access to the site will be off Green Lane, a public footpath which was created as a track around 50 years ago to provide vehicle access to properties in the lane.

Alan Hill, Wiltshire Councillor for Calne South and Cherhill, said he called in the application because there was a flooding problem on the road leading from Green Lane to the A4.

He said: “Earlier this year it was necessary for Wiltshire Council to put in drainage ditches and drainage pipes, which necessitated thereafter the resurfacing of the area.

“Recently there have been problems with the bin lorries going to the houses due to the state of the track and it had to be requested that the track was enhanced.

“This access is part way along the track and as far as I can see there is no condition whereby the applicant is going to put forward any scheme by which they are going to assist in maintenance of this track.”

Resident Sam Young, who lives North of Green Lane, said: “The flooding issues are not just from surface water but from rising water levels. One of my concerns is that the concrete base pads will contribute to an already high water table.”

The application has been delegated to planning officers who will impose conditions to limit the area that show jumps can be put up and will ask for a comprehensive drainage plan.

It was supported by Peter Hutton, Wiltshire Councillor for Chippenham Cepen Park and Derriads, who put forward a motion to accept it and said it was unlikely to have a negative impact.

He said: “I would have more sympathy with the objectors if this was for commercial use, but this is a private operation and I don’t think we can try to resolve the flooding by putting a lot of conditions on the application.”

Planning agent Colin Meek said: “Keeping horses is a countryside activity. It causes no detriment to the area, indeed I am instructed that horses have been kept on this land for some years.

“This is a private use only, there is no question of commercial use whatsoever. Flooding may remain a problem and drainage could only assist with the flooding problems.”