This is all a matter of the public record, so I’m perfectly fine telling you this. We’ll add the layers of murk to it so that I can stay a hidden little bunny rather than to protect me from revealing supa-sekret council information…

Once upon a time, there was a woman who had a horse. So she bought some land off the council and got planning permission to build some stables on it. The council said ‘yes’ but put a restriction on the application which banned use as a business property. She built her stables and rode her horses. All was fine.

8 years later, a new owner comes along and puts their horses on the land. They realise that the stables don’t match the plans, so they apply to the council for retroactive approval on the grounds it has been up for more than 4 years and no-one has noticed. They get a letter back saying the stables are now fine and the old planning permission is null and void.

4 years further on and a local dispute kicks off about the stables. There is much pushing and shoving. Much of it may be relevant, but little looks provable. One of the things that is brought up is that the new owner is now running a livery stables and riding school from the stables. Which is obviously illegal.

Except, it turns out that it isn’t.

When the council voided the old planning permission, they voided the business restriction at the same time, so there are no restrictions on what can happen there.