A LONG-RUNNING planning battle between City of York Council and York Riding School is set to be resolved this week.

Lorna and Mario Marchi, owners of the school in Wigginton Road, York, were faced with enforcement action earlier this year.

This followed a decision by City of York Council that they were breaching planning regulations by allowing businesses, including a car boot sale and saddlers, to use buildings on their site.

The couple hit back by taking horses inside Council offices in protest at the decision.

The enforcement action has since been put on hold after the couple submitted a series of planning applications concerning the buildings on their land in the hope that they can continue to diversify and save their struggling business.

The car boot sales have also been allowed, providing they take place outdoors.

Mr Marchi said he was optimistic about the meeting and was keen to get on with his life.

He said: "This has been a long time coming.

"It's affected us financially and emotionally and hopefully things will go well and we can get on with our lives.

"The business has been falling down around our ears because we haven't been able to keep up with the maintenance.

"We just want to create a small area for people for employment."

The first planning application to be considered by the committee is for change of use of part of the riding school for business, general industrial, warehousing and distribution uses.

The second application is for retention of garages for private domestic use.

The third is for retention of a portable building to house offices, lecture facilities for riding school students and the premises used by a saddler, who has been on the site for 13 years.

Those applications are due to be decided by planning committee members on Thursday.

Wigginton Parish Council has objected to the plans on the grounds of traffic dangers and congestion, excessive working hours and noise and disturbance.

And one neighbouring resident has also objected to the buildings being used for industrial use within the green belt area.

Officers have recommended that the first application for change of use is approved, that the second application for retention of the garages is refused as it stands and the third application for retention of the existing portable building is refused.

The meeting will take place at The Guildhall, York, at 4.30pm on Thursday.

Updated: 15:37 Monday, August 20, 2001