Planning quandry - 4x4 use

[spunko2010]

Hi, I own a broadleaf woodland of about 5 acres in the SE and use it mainly for leisure purposes but I'm considering opening it up for 4x4 or trials use. Has anyone ever done this?

 

From my cursory research online I think I can run these sorts of events up to 14 days a year and not have many problems with planners (i.e. similar to boot fairs). There's a good track in/out and it's fully fenced, I know I can remove a few sq/m of trees per year if needed but it should be fine as it is.

 

The main thing seems to be public liability insurance, but if I'm only opening it up to local clubs (who carry their own insurance) I'm not sure that will be a huge problem either. Mainly I'll just continue using it for personal 4x4 use and with friends etc... Anyone ever done anything similar?

[10 Bears]

My understanding of planning in this instance is different to yours. As I understand it, if you are intending to use the site for a new use, ie from a woodland to a designated course/track, open for commercial use, then you are affecting a land use change and will need planning permission for this.

 

Also, your site may contain protected/designated species that would prevent you from using the site like this. Ignoring the environmental impact of changing your site like this could potentially see fines or worse. You will need to seek advice on this as well.

 

So, I would suggest you have a call or email your local planning office to confirm what their take on this plan will be, and seek advice from an environmental or ecological consultant.

Edited January 27, 2016 by 10 Bears

[wills-mill]

Our local bike trials club have been running events on rotation for decades in a few woodlands that they own (I believe). Even with a 'woodie' eye, you'd barely know that they'd been in, very low impact on the ground. It's amazingly quiet as well.

 

Any wood that's been used as a 4x4 course is generally a smeared up, porridgey mess within a couple of months. The trees get smashed up and there are loads of problems ongoing with ground compaction and cruddy drainage. People are usually desperate to get stuck and play with their winches, so anything with any gradient or water gets knackered in short order as well. No likey......

[spunko2010]

Agree about winches and it becoming a quagmire however I would only open it up around 1 day a month to clubs. It gets light 4x4 use from myself but that's mainly maintaining the tracks.

 

Do you know the postcode for the woodland near you that runs trials? I'd be interested in checking the planning app history, if any. There doesn't appear to be anything at all listed online for the woodland near me... Which might suggest it isn't necessary.

 

No TPOs from what I can tell.

[10 Bears]

Well, if we just look at this solely from the planning perspective, you will still need planning permission.

 

You mention running only 14 days a year. Obviously this is because you are trying to work within the permitted development rules, where only 14 days would fall within this remit.

 

However, you are proposing to put in a 4X4 or trials track. This is a formal 'Land use Change' that requires planning permission without exception. It doesn't matter that you will have your track wrapped up in your woodland - you are trying to change a natural environment, for essentially, an unnatural one thereby permission is required.

 

As I said previously, that is without considering any statutory environmental designations, habitats or protected species that may be on the site. Just because you are, or may be, unaware of them does not give you a pass from potential prosecution. Simply, ignorance is no defence in law and if you are found out, you can be prosecuted.

 

Follow my original advice. Talk to the local planning office and a local environmental consultant and take it from there.

 

Anything else is speculation that could steer you down the wrong track...

[Jon Heuch]

Hi, I own a broadleaf woodland of about 5 acres in the SE and use it mainly for leisure purposes but I'm considering opening it up for 4x4 or trials use. Has anyone ever done this?

 

From my cursory research online I think I can run these sorts of events up to 14 days a year and not have many problems with planners (i.e. similar to boot fairs). There's a good track in/out and it's fully fenced, I know I can remove a few sq/m of trees per year if needed but it should be fine as it is.

 

The main thing seems to be public liability insurance, but if I'm only opening it up to local clubs (who carry their own insurance) I'm not sure that will be a huge problem either. Mainly I'll just continue using it for personal 4x4 use and with friends etc... Anyone ever done anything similar?

 

You might want to consider three things - 1) planning permission 2) licensing of a public event 3) new access to the public highway. You may need to deal with different parts of the same Council or even different Councils (District/Borough and County), depending on your area.

[Haironyourchest]

Quite beside the point but.... 5 acres????......isnt that a bit small for a 4x4 playground?

[spunko2010]

Possibly, depends on how many people use it is suppose. The one near me used for trials is about half that!

 

On the topic of change of use, wouldn't applications be visible on the council website? I can't really find anything. I'll keep digging.

Edited January 28, 2016 by spunko2010

[codlasher]

My dad sold a 22 acre piece of woodland in the 80's to a private owner. First all the timber trees were felled, then all the good firewood trees. No re-planting of either.

Finally the owner decided that 4X4 events were the thing to have and the whold area became a boggy, rutted mess with any and every 4x4 owner sneaking in at every opportunity. There were even scrap vehicles abandoned (about the time when the bottom fell out of the scrap market) So all in all a horrible mess.

The local village residents became more and more frustrated at this once lovely piece of woodland became more & more damaged and eventually got together to fund a community purchase.

Both parties were eventually satisfied as the owner trebled his original investment and the new owners got their woodland back. The downside is there are still scrap vehicles and deep rutts there but at least the damage of twenty years uncaring ownership has stopped.

 

So all in all, get the 4x4 wheelers in, trash the woodland and sell it for a massive profit as wrecked and fund your retirement to the Scottish islands!

codlasher

[wills-mill]

My dad sold a 22 acre piece of woodland in the 80's to a private owner. First all the timber trees were felled, then all the good firewood trees. No re-planting of either.

Finally the owner decided that 4X4 events were the thing to have and the whold area became a boggy, rutted mess with any and every 4x4 owner sneaking in at every opportunity. There were even scrap vehicles abandoned (about the time when the bottom fell out of the scrap market) So all in all a horrible mess.

The local village residents became more and more frustrated at this once lovely piece of woodland became more & more damaged and eventually got together to fund a community purchase.

Both parties were eventually satisfied as the owner trebled his original investment and the new owners got their woodland back. The downside is there are still scrap vehicles and deep rutts there but at least the damage of twenty years uncaring ownership has stopped.

 

So all in all, get the 4x4 wheelers in, trash the woodland and sell it for a massive profit as wrecked and fund your retirement to the Scottish islands!

codlasher

 

 

I've certainly seen that happen with the corners of fields and little work yards at the edge of villages. It seems to be the done thing to make a properly grotty disorganised mess for years, then the locals will be more than happy for you to put a house on the site rather than having to look at it