PLANS to open a car repairs workshop on an isolated stretch of Green Belt bridleway have been refused permission by councillors.
The owners of Cold Hall Farm, in Kiln Road, Stanford Rivers, had applied for retrospective permission to set up a car body repairs shop in their barn.
But at a meeting last night (August 1), Epping Forest District Council's planning subcommittee rejected the proposal.
The authority had received objections from residents, riders, North Weald Bassett Rural Preservation Society and North Weald Parish Council - but planning officers had previously recommended permission be granted.
Yvonne Toms, 54, moved her horses to nearby Little Tawney Hall Farm, in Tawney Lane, nine years ago - after being hit by a car while riding near Brentwood.
She had gathered a 28-signature petition opposing the plans and praised the council's decision.
She said: "It's marvellous - they have obviously listened to us and hopefully this application won't recur.
"It's a bridleway and you don't expect to find traffic on a bridleway. The fact that they tried to have other traffic than their own vehicles seemed to be rather bizarre."
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