Proposals for stables and outdoor horse riding arena have been knocked back by Cheshire West and Chester Council amid concerns over potential overdevelopment in the countryside.

The council’s planning committee had been recommended to give the green light to the plans for land at Marsh Lane in Kings Marsh when it met earlier this week.

But the committee went against officers’ advice and blocked the scheme, which would have seen the construction of a stable, storage building and outdoor arena on eight acres of farmland.

The application had originally been called in for discussion by former Farndon ward councillor Paul Roberts. His successor, Councillor Adrian Waddelove, upheld the call.

And speaking at the meeting, Cllr Waddelove outline multiple concerns he had with the plans, including access which he said had resulted in vehicles coming off the road.

Addressing members, he said: “Marsh Lane as has already described is primarily as bridleway, which is used by some cars to access the two houses on the lane.

“The lane is unadopted. The residents on the lane maintain it themselves annually, I think, at not insignificant cost to them. The lane is narrow, certainly too narrow for large vehicles such as horse boxes.”

He then showed the committee pictures of what he said were three incidents where vehicles had come off the road and ended up in ditches.

The committee then voted on a motion to reject the plans, the motion stated: “The development by reason of its scale and design would fail to respect the rural character of the area.

“It would have a significant adverse impact on the character of the countryside and fails to result in the enhancement to the site and its rural setting.

“As such, the development would harm the character the area.”

Seven members voted in favour of rejecting the scheme, and another three committee members abstained.