Representation by The Newmarket Stud Farmers Association (The Newmarket Stud Farmers Association)
- Date submitted
- 13 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Non-statutory organisations
The Newmarket Stud Farmers Association comprises of 63 Thoroughbred Stud Farms in the Newmarket area. Their prime business is to rear Thoroughbred horses to race in this country and Internationally. To this end they farm some 6,500 acres of prime land which has been developed and nurtured for over 300 years. Any loss of land would affect their business dramatically as it can take some 5 years to recover land lost by any means. The Association is greatly concerned that the proposed scheme would affect Members ability to carry out their business in the expected professional manner - indeed some would not be able to continue their business at all in their present form and to the expected standard. We are further concerned that a number of Members will be greatly affected by the 'battery storage' facilities. These are, we understand, a potentially highly flammable source which poses a very real risk to life with the creation of poisonous gases. The proposed siting of these units are very close indeed to dwellings and should not, under any circumstances, be situated near to houses or indeed near any Members very valuable livestock. We understand that the developers quote 35 lorry movements a day. We know the area well and any increase on the local lanes is not feasible. We understand that this figure is for lorries entering the site- they will of course have to leave the area which immediately doubles the number of movements. We think it extremely unlikely that even this figure is feasible for such a development and true figure will be considerably higher. We are further greatly concerned about the visual impact of the proposal. The area already has some 350 acres of 'solar farms' and it can be seen from them that these sites are highly detrimental to the nature of the countryside which has been nurtured over the past 300 years for the maximum benefit of Thoroughbred horse rearing and racing- a view that is held in great resect by many in this country and indeed International Bloodstock breeders. They respect the time and effort that has gone into making this area unique - certainly in this country and perhaps in the world. In conclusion the Newmarket Stud Farmers Association is not able to support this gross overdevelopment in any way.