New stables in Cookham greenbelt approved

The Royal Borough unanimously agreed to grant permission for Copas Farms to build 16 stables on its farmland on the greenbelt yesterday (Tuesday, February 16).

Concerns over the impact on the openness of the greenbelt caused the application to be brought to the Maidenhead Development Management Committee.

Dick Scarff of the Cookham Society told the panel the Society believes the application would ‘encroach on the countryside’.

Applicant GW Copas Farms said there was a ‘desperate need’ for stables, and also for the farm to diversify, as they priority for food production has now changed.

Ward councillor Gerry Clark (Con) noted that no parties other than the Cookham Society had objected and he ‘can’t be guided by the Cookham Society’ alone.

Cllr Geoffrey Hill (The Borough First, Oldfield) said: “I actually like the application in terms of sustaining the farms.

“These businesses in some cases are struggling to survive, so diversifying is reasonable.”

He added that this kind of development was ‘the right thing’ to put on the greenbelt, if the greenbelt is to be developed.

Councillors acknowledged the benefit of building up outdoor recreation in the Cookham countryside.

Cllr John Baldwin (Lib Dem, Belmont) highlighted that the application – while reduced from a previous, larger plan – was still a ‘substantial structure’ and this should be considered.

He also raised concerns about the ‘tenuous assumption’ that it would be used at different times of day by users, as opposed to in clusters – and the effect this might have on the parking provision.

Nonetheless, the panel members voted unanimously in favour of the application.