Horse arena

[Ukjay]

Definitely needs planning, I've done several applications in the past few years for them. If you need advice give me a shout.

Lighting is a PITA, as the councils don't like upsetting the bat's, even though modern lighting is far better...

Bloody Jobsworths, as I could put massive floodlights on my house for security, but no you can't possibly have 4 or 6 down lights on a manege for dark winter evenings....

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Lighting is a PITA, as the councils don't like upsetting the bat's, even though modern lighting is far better...

Bloody Jobsworths, as I could put massive floodlights on my house for security, but no you can't possibly have 4 or 6 down lights on a manege for dark winter evenings....

Yes lighting can be difficult to get planning for

 

[Ukjay]

Yes lighting can be difficult to get planning for

Definitely is, as most of them do not live in the real world. There is special arena lighting these days to reduce impacts, but still no...

The previous owner here put security lighting in the trees

 

[YorkshireAndrew]

Ours cost around £10,000 to build about 18 years ago . As has been said drainage is a big factor but also the correct sand , we used silica sand topped off with chopped wire free tyre pieces . It’s 24x42 m in size by the way . We have a livery yard so it was really an essential build .

 

[robs1]

I have built several over the years, two into very wet holes, both were built up with three or four feet of builders rubble, all bug stuff, then tracked down by the digger and topped with type one, the surface is then added, never had any puddles on them regardless how heavy or prolonged the rain, building menages at ground level is asking for trouble imvho

 

[RhysT]

Hi guys. We supply the fibre to lay on top of silica sand. Very similar to the top end suppliers but loads cheaper. Based in South Wales but delivery nationwide.

www.greylandsstud.co.uk

Www.Facebook.com/greylandsfibre

As everyone says. Drainage is key! No scrimping on that otherwise it’ll cost you more money in the future.
basic budget is approx £20m2 even if doing it yourselves. Unless you’ve got access to top end stone.
Father in law built a 40 x 20 in 2019 for approx £11000 plus vat but he was able to quarry the stone off the farm and used the cheapest fencing materials possible and did the fencing himself. Just paid contractor to level site and do the digging and laying sand.
Can easily spend £40m2 if you get a professional company in to build it.
Sand price varies across the country. We’re 40 miles away from a silica sand quarry and can get sand for approx £20 plus vat. But some parts of the country will be paying £40 plus a tonne as there’s no suitable sand quarries near by.

 

[Zetor]

Surface is very very important, I’ve been building them commercially for 20years I look at between 5 & 10 flooded arenas every year and there’s never a problem with the drainage always the surface

 

[theboytheboy]

In terms of lights the nightsearcher galaxy pro on a 3.5 m tripod are a great way to say fudge you to the authorities if they wont allow lights via planning.

We have just got a set and so far so good. Will probably get another set.

We even got contacted to tell us there was a minor upgrade for the tripod that had been identified, they collected and did the upgrade and returned it to us. Free of charge (may help that they turned out to be only few miles away)

 

[Ukjay]

it had a ditch next to

Surface is very very important, I’ve been building them commercially for 20years I look at between 5 & 10 flooded arenas every year and there’s never a problem with the drainage always the surface

So are you saying the drainage is not the important part then?

 

[robin banks]

Any one seen the ebb and flow system. Friend of mine installed one in Germany. Looked the business. Cost was high. But looks fairly simple. Ground was dug down to subsoil. Laser levelled flat. Drains dug in. Then plastic membrane over everything. Drain pipes installed in trench with drainage stone on top and 6 inches over whole base. Then sand on top. From memory about a foot which had fibre mixed in.
The clever bit is the drainage goes to a collection point and the outlet is set at just under finished level. So sand is always sitting in water. So even though it has a big depth of sand it has a hard surface. Bit like how easy it is to walk at seashore compared to soft sand at top of beach.
I think you can pump water into arena from underneath and that part cost money. But he has never used that feature yet. In winter you can pull and plug in collector and drain out water so in a frost you don't end up with a giant ice cube.
As I said it cost a fair bit. But I like the idea of keeping the water in the arena. Any thoughts on this?

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

Anybody built a small arena in a corner of a field?

Difficult to justify one without lighting if it is used by family to help keep horses fit in Winter.

One locally has a restriction on lighting after a certain time (8pm?) because an odd one of the lights faces the NIMBYs in the village.

Definitely make sure it has gate that a vehicle will fit through...

 

[Farmer_Joe]

surely your jusr better building a shed and putting sand in as base over clay?

cost wise also sorts the lighting issue and drainage.

 

[ollie989898]

surely your jusr better building a shed and putting sand in as base over clay?

cost wise also sorts the lighting issue and drainage.

If you have a serious livery business then an indoor arena sort of pays for itself in no time.

Can add a respectable cross-country course around fields without much grief. Works well with farming as they don't interfere with cropping at all.

 

[George from SJM Planning]

Lighting doesn't have to be an issue if you can provide lighting details, diagrams of splays and a professional light study. You can also seek a planning condition relating to the time of use

 

[Zetor]

it had a ditch next to


So are you saying the drainage is not the important part then?

No, I’m suggesting that people should focus on the surface as much as the drainage.
£20k +vat for a 40x20 around here

Peart Arenas Ltd

Peart Arenas Ltd, Hexham, United Kingdom. 1,506 likes · 180 talking about this · 1 was here. Everything for equestrian surfaces, agriculture & plant hire.

en-gb.facebook.com

 

[Ukjay]

No, I’m suggesting that people should focus on the surface as much as the drainage.
£20k +vat for a 40x20 around here

Peart Arenas Ltd

Peart Arenas Ltd, Hexham, United Kingdom. 1,506 likes · 180 talking about this · 1 was here. Everything for equestrian surfaces, agriculture & plant hire.

en-gb.facebook.com

Clearly drainage is the backbone of any menage, then the correct membranes / surface used which depends on the use intended obviously

 

[Ukjay]

If you have a serious livery business then an indoor arena sort of pays for itself in no time.

Can add a respectable cross-country course around fields without much grief. Works well with farming as they don't interfere with cropping at all.

But that is a serious investment that is practically non viable for a lot of livery buinesses - because happy hackers do not pay well..