Historic horse training yard Downs House 'should be kept in racing industry', say councillors
12:10pm Friday 28th September 2012 in News By Hardeep Matharu
Philip Mitchell left Downs House on July 20
A historic horse training yard which had its trainer evicted in July should be kept in the racing industry, according to councillors.
Options for Downs House, which was once home to Eclipse - a thoroughbred from whom 95 per cent of today’s bloodstock is descended, were discussed by Epsom and Ewell Council’s strategy and resources committee on Tuesday evening (September 25).
Councillors "authorised officers to investigate the most suitable basis for a viable re-occupation of the property, with a preference that it remains in the use of the racing industry" and approved £10,000 to be used to appoint external professional advisors.
The meeting was attended by Caroline Baldock, chairwoman of the Epsom Equestrian Conservation Group.
Addressing councillors, she said: "Downs House is a very unique site for the training of horses as they don’t have to cross any roads on the Downs."
Councillor Neil Dallen replied: "There are presently no plans to use it for any other purpose."
Comments(2)
Tenpindee
says...
8:49pm Sat 29 Sep 12
I would like to see horses used on the site but also to house my grown up children who are desperate to stay in the area. My daughter is homeless thanks to someone else and has two children, one son is at a place miles from his work and no bus service, the other cannot afford to put down a deposit for his own place. Daughter is a competent horse person and we could offer it for horses that need to be in the area and not stipulate that it has to be racehorses only.
With the housing shortage, it should be converted to self contained units if this council want a return on their money.
so here is the proposal to the Council, let us take over the property, house one big family the size akin to those that were there before, let us use it to promote horses and save ratepayers 1.000's of pounds on unnecessary proposals from so called external "experts".
Questions I feel the Councillors should reply to are
What do we have our Building/Planning Officers for, are they not qualified to offer their own Employer, fee free advice for the plot?
Why did the property be left in appalling conditions, who was liable or responsible for the upkeep of the property.
If it was the Council, they should be shot and apologise to rate payers for not doing work they are paid to do, (Mmm wonder if it is still us rate payers paying for the upkeep of the downs! )
If it was the Mitchell family then they should be sent a bill for the recovery of costs to have the appalling conditions put right.
It is no good highlighting problems when the horse has bolted, so to speak!
Surreydon says...
8:55am Sat 29 Sep 12