PLANS to turn a field into an outdoor horse arena near Brecon will be decided by councillors.

At a meeting the Planning, Taxi Licensing and Rights of Way committee on Thursday, June 27 councillors will debate an application by Gary Arnold for the formation of an outdoor riding arena and associated works at Cefn Coed Mawr bungalow, Sarnau near Brecon.

The application is in front of the committee as Mr Arnold is related to a senior Powys council officer.

The field is currently used as a paddock for grazing and the riding arena would be for Mr Arnold’s private use.

The arena would be 45 metres in length and 25 metres in width covering an area of 1125 square metres.

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Planning agent Neil Reid-Warrilow of Pegasus Arenas said: “The current site is just grass at present used for summer grazing.

“With the proposed construction no other features will be removed so there is no impact or no net loss as the surrounding areas with existing trees and hedgerows will remain.

“There is a proposed ecological mitigation setting out that the banks will be seeded to wildflower mix cut once per annum in the autumn.”

Two traditional wooden bird boxes will also be installed to provide more biodiversity benefits.

Planning officer Emma Jones said: “The main planning consideration relating to this type of proposal is whether the proposal would cause any unacceptable adverse effects on the Powys landscape.

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“The proposed development will retain the existing features such as field pattern and trees and it is not considered that it will have an unacceptable impact on Powys’s landscape as it is sited in an appropriate location and is sensitively designed.

“The scale of the development is not overbearing, and it is located at a distance and position which will not adversely impact the nearest neighbouring dwelling.”

Ms Jones explains that the site is “relatively isolated” with the nearest neighbours around 480 metres away.

Due to the distance, she does not believe the development would cause the “loss of privacy and light,” and have an “adverse impact” on neighbouring properties amenity.

Ms Jones said: “The development is sited on an area of agricultural land.

The road To Cefn Coed Mawr - where the outdoor horse arena is earmarked. From Google Streetview.

“The Welsh Government’s predictive agricultural land classification map indicates that the area of the application site is graded as four, which relates to poor quality agricultural land.

“In light of this, it is noted the development would not result in the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land.”

She advised councillors to approve the application and award conditional consent.

A further sustainable drainage application will also need to be approved if the scheme is given the go ahead.