Agriculture & Equestrian

Agriculture and equestrian uses account for a huge amount of rural land, but the planning rules are not interchangeable. Agricultural land can benefit from specific permitted development rights, while horse grazing, keeping, training and associated buildings need to be considered according to the actual lawful use of the land.

This section brings those rules together for England, with practical links into the GPDO, agricultural land classification, field shelters and rural worker accommodation.

The agricultural and forestry rights in Part 6 of the GPDO can grant planning permission for specified development where the detailed conditions and limitations are met. Separate rights may also be available for changes of use such as Class Q and Class R.

Before relying on any of those rights, make sure the land, building and agricultural unit satisfy the particular Class you want to use. If you have a practical question, you can also ask in the Planning Geek forums.

Rural land can also contain historic constraints which are separate from the GPDO. Surviving ridge and furrow earthworks may have archaeological or historic landscape significance, particularly where woodland creation, roads, drainage or ground disturbance are proposed.

Field boundaries can bring their own controls too. If you are thinking about removing a countryside hedge, cutting a new gateway or trimming an agricultural hedgerow, see our guide to removing a hedge in a field.

Agriculture and Equestrian Pages

This section will expand with further links as time goes by, but in the meantime we discuss the various PD rights for buildings used for agriculture, what the difference is between agriculture and equestrian, what an agricultural unit as well as the PD rights to develop land used for agriculture is and more

Caravans crop up regularly on farm and rural land – for site workers, seasonal accommodation or a caravan stationed on a holding. Our Caravans hub covers when a caravan needs planning permission, the 28-day rule and lawful development certificates.

Where somebody genuinely needs to live at or close to a rural enterprise, see our guide to rural workers’ dwellings and agricultural occupancy ties, including the current NPPF HO11 test, temporary dwellings, succession and removing an agricultural tie.

Other Agricultural Sections

Agriculture & Equestrian Page Updated: 24th August 2026