Planning permission for keeping horses

Find out if you need planning permission to build stables or any changes to accommodate horses

What does keeping horses include?

  • riding schools
  • livery and racing stables
  • stud farms
  • private leisure purposes

When you'll need permission

You'll generally need permission if you:

You'll also need planning permission if you keep horses on what used to be residential land, for example by fencing off part of your garden.

When you won't need planning permission to build stables

  • if they are in your garden;
  • if the buildings are of specified dimension and location; and,
  • you're keeping horses for your private leisure (this may be difficult to prove if it looks like you're running a business eg you have more horses than expected for the size of your household)

Also, you may not need planning permission for moveable structures like shelters if you're already keeping horses, depending on:

  • the size of the structure
  • how permanent it is
  • how attached it is to the land

Keeping horses on agricultural land

If you're keeping horses on agricultural land, you'll usually need planning permission unless the horses are livestock or they feed mainly from grazing.

Grazing land must be used permanently for horses and there must be other horse-related structures on the land eg shelters or jumps.