Representation by Kevin Needham
- Date submitted
- 14 March 2022
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
I have lived and worked in Newmarket for over 30 years and have built up a business transporting and shipping horses all over the world, we have an annual Turnover of £10 millions. I strongly feel that a plan to convert 2500 acres of prime arable land on the edge of newmarket to be a significant threat to the future prosperity of the town and one that has the potential to seriously damage an industry which both underpins the local economy but affects my livelihood and that of my employees. Newmarket is world famous and unique, the last thing my overseas clients expect to see from the Limekilns is an electricity factory and I am convinced that this will have a seriously detrimental effect on any invesntment decisions that they are likely to make. The damage caused by this develpment is not one of short term but will be felt over several generations and likely to be a permanent blight on the racing and breeding industry. I also feel that the proposal is out of step with global realities, we cannot replace the arable land lost in this sort of development and become more dependent on imported food. Given recent events it is unlikely that there will be much in the way of cereal harvest from the Ukraine in the near future. From a personal persepctive this proposal is just a hideaous blot, its far too large, in the wrong place and its staggering that the idea wasnt kicked out of the park before it even got to this stage. Finally the builder of this is foreign owned and the panels will all be made in China, there is no benefit to the local economy only potential damage to the world headquarters of horse racing and breeding excellence.