If you’re looking to build stables in Hampshire, you should check whether you need to apply for planning permission and choose a design that complements its setting.
Hampshire is diverse; the region is a mix of rolling countryside, affluent towns, and coastal areas.
In this article, we look at what planning restrictions apply in different areas of Hampshire and help you choose the perfect stables design for your property.
You will need to comply with different planning requirements based on where you live in Hampshire.
If you live near a modern urban centre, like Southampton, Portsmouth, and Fanborough, outside a designated area, permitted development rights might apply. Check if you need to submit a planning application before doing any work on the Hampshire City Council website, or contact your Local Planning Authority (LPA).
If you live in a designated area - like the New Forest Park or the East Hampshire AONB - or by a conservation area in a rural village like Upper Farringdon, you must apply for planning permission from your LPA. You also need to apply for listed building consent if your home is a Listed Building.
The LPA can reject your plans if the structure doesn’t complement the landscape and buildings around your home. So if you submit an application with a traditional-looking design, you will be more likely to gain approval.
Below we share our tips for a stable block that fits well in a Hampshire context - whether you live by a conservation area or near a modern urban centre.
As we mentioned above, living in a designated area means you need to comply with some planning restrictions. But if you submit a plan with a stable design that blends well with the area around your property, you are more likely to obtain planning permission.
In Hampshire you can find a wide mix of architecture styles; from historic manor houses, red brick cottages, and Mediaeval buildings to brick and flint farmhouses, historic naval buildings, and thatched-roof houses.
The typical historic architecture of the region features:
Most areas will feature one or more of these features. Choose a stable design that complements the architecture around your property.
Clad your stable block with weatherboarding to give it a traditional look. Timber weatherboard cladding is a common technique in historic and rural architecture in Hampshire. It involves installing long, overlapping boards to protect a building's exterior walls from the elements.
Over time, the timber cladding turns grey, looking timeless.
If you live in an area with steep-hipped roofs, opt for a steeper pitch angle (like the 35° Chester Tiled Roof Stables) and try to match the tile colours. Good options include shaded red, brown, or black Onduvilla, and clay or slate or Tapco tiles.
Onduline sheets muffle the sound of rain, making the building quieter, which helps horses relax.
If the roofs around your home are moderately pitched, do not worry about the angle. Mirror the covering if you can. We recommend shaded red, brown, or black Onduvilla or clay and slate tiles.
Cover the roof with natural-looking cedar shingles if a thatched building is in your neighbourhood.
If you live outside a designated area, like the New Forest National Park, you probably do not need to apply for planning permission, as long as you build a small stable block with a number of horses that reflects your household size.
Because the rules depend on the type of use, height, placement, boundaries, and existing buildings, it’s always worth speaking to your local authority to confirm what applies to your property.
Choose shiplap or weatherboarding for the cladding. Shiplap cladding is modern, while weatherboarding has a more traditional aesthetic.
Will the stable block be near your home? Choose a pitch and covering material that matches your home’s.
At Chart Stables, we build custom wooden stables that look at home in rural and historic settings alike.
We manufacture robust fixed and mobile stable blocks. Our fixed stables are available in the Clipper, Chart, and Chester ranges. Our mobile stables come in the Clipper and Chart ranges.
The Chester Tiled Roof Stables have a standard roof pitch of 35° and you can tile them with any material you like, making them ideal for properties in historic settings. You can extend the canopies to 1.8 metres (6 feet) to create extra weather protection for your horses. These come with thick support posts, strengthened headers, and traditional curved bracing.
The Chester and Chart ranges come with standard talk grilles between the stables.
Our fixed and mobile stables are constructed from durable, pressure-treated timber and feature kick boards, robust stable doors, shuttered windows, and anti-chew protection.
Each timber stable is custom-built to match your specific requirements, allowing you to choose the size, layout, and number of stalls. You can also select door styles and incorporate extras, such as a tack room, wash bay, or hay store.
At Chart Stables, we’re the UK's largest and most trusted equestrian building manufacturer. We can deliver and install your stables or create a DIY kit, saving you 20% on the unit cost.
