What about the establishment of horse arenas in non-buildable zones?

Questioned by a senator on the legal regime applicable to a project to create a horse training track, the Ministry of Territorial Cohesion specified on January 16, 2020 that a "training track for horses does not constitute a construction necessary for agricultural operation: its construction is therefore not possible on land located in a non-buildable zone of a communal map", nor in the agricultural zone of the PLU.

It should be recalled in this regard that certain constructions may be authorized in non-buildable zones of a municipal map or PLU, particularly if they are necessary for agricultural operations, a category which therefore does not include horse stables.

However, with regard to a municipality with a communal map, Article R. 161-5 of the Urban Planning Code authorizes providing in the graphic document for sectors reserved for the establishment of activities, particularly if they are incompatible with the vicinity of inhabited areas. This provision, which must be justified, can be used for the construction of horse stables in municipalities with a communal map. It will then be necessary, during the project's implementation, to comply with the provisions of Article R. 111-14 of the Urban Planning Code, according to which, outside the built-up areas of the municipality, the project may be refused or accepted only subject to special requirements if it is likely, in particular, to promote dispersed urbanization incompatible with the purpose of the surrounding natural areas, or to compromise agricultural or forestry activities.

On the other hand, if the municipality has a local urban plan (PLU), the project must comply with the urban planning rules imposed by the document, so the quarry cannot be located in a agricultural zone.

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