A farmer is celebrating victory over planners in his fight to set up a new recreational activity in the Leeds green belt.
The council earlier this year rejected an application by Mr Andrew Walmsley to bring grass boarding – also called mountain boarding and described as a cross between skateboarding and snowboarding - to his farm in Carr Lane Thorner.
While accepting the scheme would not harm the character of the green belt, the council’s east plans panel refused permission on road safety grounds
The tenant farmer appealed against the refusal and a planning inspector has ruled in his favour.
He now hopes to have the new activity up and running by next April.
Mr Walmsley said: “I am really pleased with the inspector’s decision. I thought it was worth pursuing an appeal because this is important to the farm.
“Given the current economic climate, diversification is really important. We need to look at all possible income streams.
“There will be no disturbance caused because there’s no engines involved with this activity.
“The inspector came to visit the site. We got a highways consultant to help put our case and it was successful.
“It’s been quite a long haul. It has taken 14 months from when the application was first submitted to get to this stage.”
The scheme includes a car park with 20 spaces and the number of people taking part in the activity will be limited to 25 at any one time. Sessions will last two hours and be held 4pm to 8pm on Thursdays between April and August and 10am to 4pm at weekends and bank holidays April to September.
In rejecting the scheme, the council’s plan panel said highway safety was a major concern.
A report to councillors said: “Carr Lane is narrow and does not have footways for much of its length.”
But in his report, the inspector said data suggested Carr Lane was used by about 800 vehicles a day and he added: “I am persuaded by the appellant’s estimate that the use could generate 44 trips on Thursdays and 66 trips at weekends.
“This suggests the use would result in only a small percentage increase in traffic.”
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