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Lord Derby defends Newmarket homes scheme
Ed Black and Mira Bar-Hillel20 Jan 2010
His forebears gave their name to the most famous flat race in the country. But the Earl of Derby's plans to build 1,200 homes in the horseracing town of Newmarket have been branded “obscene” in Parliament.
The proposals were attacked by local MP Richard Spring and opponents say they could lead to the town's population soaring, and put its status as the heart of the equine industry at risk.
But today Lord Derby, a stud owner and racing enthusiast, hit back, saying he had horseracing's best interests at heart and would pull out of the development if the industry was threatened in any way.
He said numbers being quoted by opponents were “just wrong” and Newmarket's population would grow by seven per cent and not a third, as some had claimed.
The development proposed for his Hatchfield Farm estate would also include shops, restaurants, community facilities and a primary school.
Opponents say the peaceful environment needed to breed thoroughbreds will be ruined, and roads used to exercise hundreds of horses each day will be clogged up.
Lord Derby said: “I am very aware and very live to the issues raised by this. We would aim to build up to 600 houses by 2021 and up to a further 600 by 2031. If I felt racing was threatened by this I would stop it.
“It is rather better if development happens in a controlled way by someone who is sympathetic and a part of the racing industry. My stud farm would go on being the boundary of this development.” He said he had received only seven letters of complaint.
The plan was attacked by Mr Spring, MP for West Suffolk, in a debate at Westminster Hall. Newmarket, with population of 15,000, could expect a total of 1,640 extra homes by 2031 under council targets, he claimed. “Newmarket is a precious jewel in the life of England, with its extraordinary character and history.
"Frankly, however, the proposed development, which is obscene, has the capacity to destroy it.”
He said the raising and training of young thoroughbreds required a “quiet and tranquil environment”. Newmarket town council believed the proposal would cause “untold damage to the equine industry in the town and possibly its total demise”.
He said the problem had been created by the East of England Development Agency's target of building 10,100 homes in the region by 2031. “If they did build 1,200 houses on the site it would destroy the racing industry,” he added.
Lord Derby, 47, known as Teddy, is the 19th Earl. The family seat is Knowsley Hall in Merseyside, alongside Knowsley safari park, which the family opened in 1971. The Derby at Epsom was started in 1780 by the 12th Earl.
Asked about his motives for the scheme, Lord Derby said: “Clearly inheritance tax takes quite a hold on things, we have spent the past 15 years trying to improve the estate and clearly I carry quite a debt burden at the moment.”
Reader views (4)
If transportation for Newmarket is redesigned (and a start has to be made somewhere, sometime anyway to the phasing out of petrol)so that the only vehicles allowed into the town are alternative, such as electric, restoring the quiet and tranquility needed, maybe both sides can be satisfied. Hatchfield Farm, if built, ought to be based around a park and ride incorporating every type of vehicle, including free golf carts and jitneys for use around the town, and fun things like bicycle rickshaws, and, yes, HORSE-DRAWN vehicles, which would add tourist appeal. Other park & ride sites could be built at other ends of town, for example near the entrance to the July Racecourse. A state of the art mall must be included so that people do not feel they have been dumped in a bus depot. These destinations must provide salubrious space in which people want to congregate, eat, go to the cinema, etc. And if they want to go into town they can do so in an easy and enjoyable way. Another idea is to ban all traffic in the town prior to 1:30pm daily, as horses are allowed to work out until 1pm. Such schemes can be worked out if reasonable minds are seriously applied. Newmarket could make its centre more attractive by improving amenities for pedestrians also and make its High St. more attractive by the addition of old-fashioned greenhouse style arcades all along the pavement, preferably painted white with plenty of plants. Horse drawn vehicles stabled in town would be a delight. Why not?
- M.Reagen, Newmarket, Suffolk, UK, 26/05/2010 13:34
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If unfettered immigration is the root cause of our desire for more housing, surely we should address our entry policy for migrants rather than destroy a national gem. It sounds to me that Lord Derby is not doing this out of the goodness of his heart having listened to his social conscience ! He is doing this purely for personal gain, and miles away from his stately home in Newmarket. I pray the planners see sense and block this development application - in order to protect a small rural market town that happens to be the home of a multi-million pound industry. If this development destroys the racing industry in Newmarket, I wonder the Council Planning Committee, the Developers, and Lord and Lady Derby will be able to sleep soundly at night going forward.
- Tt, Home Counties, 27/01/2010 09:47
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We have one item which states that there are thousands of people looking for somewhere to live, and as soon as someone else announces they are building houses there is an outcry against it?
- Patrick, Dalston, 20/01/2010 15:29
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We have had 10+ years of unfettered immigration and population growth - these people have to live somewhere.
- Very Angry At Mp'S Expenses, Home Counties, 20/01/2010 12:50
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