Interior design

As summer ends, our thoughts turn to coping with whatever wintry weather is in store. Hannah Lemieux finds out what you need to consider if investing in an indoor school

- Hannah Lemieux

EVERY rider will have most likely dreamt about access to an indoor arena at some point. Whether it is during the heat of high summer or the lashings of rain andunbearable cold of the winter, an indoor arena will be on many riders’ wishlists.

Should this dream become a reality, deciding where to start with constructing an indoor arena can be a minefield of information – where to put it, installation of the correct base and drainage, and, of course, what surface to put down.

If you have an existing building that you think would make a perfect indoor school, the best place to start is by contacting your local council and establishing if and what planning permission is required; then you can move on to the practicalities.

“If the building has a good, hard and level floor already, for example heavily compacted dirt or a concrete floor, a surface can be laid straight on to it. We usually have to do some internal levelling anyway, and in the past we have dropped an existing floor to provide more height above the surface,” says Linda Wright, the co-directer of Charles Britton Equestrian Construction, and Charles’ partner.

The company, which has built up a large portfolio over the past 41 years, converted an agricultural building into an indoor work area for Olympic gold medal-winning showjumper Nick Skelton.

“Planning consent is required when there is a change of use,” she adds. “Similarly, if you are wanting to add a roof on to an outdoor arena, this is achievable but permission is needed.