Problem path in field by Taplow mansion 'not immune' from enforcement, inspector warns

A problem path built on a greenbelt field in Taplow is ‘not immune from enforcement action’ despite a plan for new stables being approved, an inspector has warned.

Land beside Skyfall, a near £5million mansion, has been at the centre of two planning disputes with Buckinghamshire Council which were reviewed by inspector Thomas Shields.

The spat arose after the council refused retrospective permission for a four-bay stables with storage rooms, and a certificate of lawfulness for other works on the 3.25 hectare field.

Mr Shields has now overruled much of that decision and approved retrospective planning permission for the stables, as well as work on new gates and paving.

But he said an access track, alleged to have been ‘restored’ after construction materials were ‘dumped’ on it during recent construction of Skyfall, could still face enforcement action.  

The first of two cases Mr Shields considered, lodged by landowner Mrs Natasha Raja, concerned the disputed access track, refurbished entrance gates and brick paving.

The landowners do not own Skyfall, which is listed on Savills’ property website for £4,950,000, but the appeal looked at evidence over claims its construction had impacted the access road.

Evidence from two people, Mr Tariq and Mr Gouveia, in the appeal said earthworks from the mansion’s construction had required an access track to be ‘restored’.

‘He [Mr Tariq] states that some of the earth from development at the adjoining site (Skyfall) had been dumped on the track and that this was removed to form a mud bank,’ Mr Shields said.

“[Mr Gouveia] also states that the ruins of the landscaping from the adjacent Skyfall site were dumped ‘on top of the access road’,” Mr Shields added.

Mr Shields said: “Taking account of all the evidence before me from both the Council and the appellant, it seems to me that there was historically from 2012 an access track,” Mr Smith said.

“However, the operations that were undertaken to the track reformed it through deposition of material, and again later reformed from removal of material.”

He concluded that, while the path had existed historically, the ‘restoration’ works following the construction of Skyfall would have needed planning permission.

The inspector said: “On the balance of probabilities I find that the operations to the track took place after the relevant date of 1 December 2019 and so the track is not immune from enforcement action.

He added: “Accordingly, the appeal succeeds with regard to the laying of hardstanding in the form of brick paving, pillars either side of entrance gates, and entrance gates, and a certificate will be issued in respect of these matters, but fails with regard to the formation of the access track.”

The greenbelt field next to Skyfall is accessed through a private track off a country road called Hitcham Lane.

Mr Shields said there was ‘no convincing evidence’ that giving permission for horses to be kept in the field would impact road safety.

The stables were granted permission, along with permission for a change in the use of the field from agricultural to equestrian, in the second appeal considered by Mr Shields.