New Forest National Park Authority overturns condition to demolish Meredith Lodge in Burley, used by the Fortune Centre of Riding Therapy

A TWO-bed chalet formerly used by a charity within the grounds of a Burley home does not need to be demolished – flying in the face of a previous planning condition.

The Fortune Centre Of Riding Therapy was granted planning permission for the dwelling on its land at Lanfranco House in Garden Road in 2007.

This had the support of neighbours after a condition was attached stating that if the charity ceased to own or occupy the site, the outbuilding – known as Meredith Lodge – would be removed.

However, an application discussed at a meeting of the national park authority’s planning committee on Tuesday sought to remove this ruling and keep the building, attaching instead further conditions to ensure it was no longer habitable.

The application also sought a change of use for the main property from a residential institution, following plans by the charity to sell the site.

A report to members stated: “Given that the lodge is currently equipped for independent residential use, it would be important to agree the details of the items to be removed to ensure its future use remains incidental to the host dwelling.”

This would include the removal of the kitchen, bedrooms, and living room.

It added: “The proposal would see the property return to its original and less intensive residential use as a single dwelling, whilst the lodge would be retained as an incidental outbuilding.”

Neighbour Tracey Weetman spoke against the proposals, drawing members’ attention to the condition imposed on the chalet when it was built in 2007.

She explained that given the charitable status of the Fortune Centre and its aims to support disabled children, she had “no objection” initially because of the clause.

She asked: “Why is it not being adhered to? It was satisfactory for the application to begin with but, now they want to sell the property, it is not.”

Turning to the suggested conditions to be imposed, which would make it uninhabitable, she added: “What assurance can be given that this would not be dismissed in the future also?

“I feel this application, if approved, would set a precedent for many others in the national park.”

Burley Parish Council was also against the application, saying that while it was not against the main property reverting to a residential dwelling, allowing the outbuilding to remain would leave the NPA open to “historic or future conditions placed against any application or approval ineffectual and unenforceable”.

Three letters of objection were also submitted by the public, who said the original condition should be enforced.

Discussing the application, Ann Sevier raised concerns a new owner or occupier could reinstate the property to a habitable state if it was not demolished.

“We all do know attempts like this are made around the Forest; garages are turned into houses and fenced off. I’ve lived here too long and I have seen all of it.”

The NPA’s executive director of strategy and planning, Steve Avery, explained the property would be added to a “monitoring list” which would be checked by officers to ensure the conditions were not being breached.

He added: “Ann is right – we are not going to pretend otherwise – there are instances where people have blatantly ignored a condition and look to establish a lawful use, but changes are afoot and the laws are getting tougher.”

He added the building could not be used as an incidental property and its use would be less intrusive than previously.

Members voted unanimously in favour of the application.

Suzi Barnett, assistant principal at the Fortune Centre, told the A&T: “The way in which we have accessed funding has changed and it became apparent that it was no longer viable to continue to operate our registered care home, Lanfranco House.

“This was a difficult decision to make; however, over the past 18 months we have successfully worked alongside our residents, their families and local authorities to transition them to new providers.”

She added: “The key aim of our work is to prepare young people for independent living. Burley, being a rural, village location has proved less than ideal as a location to achieve this.

“In order to continue our work and improve our educational offer we intend to sell Lanfranco House and use the funds to reinvest in a similar facility in a local town, where work placements, community activities and transport links are more readily achievable.”