Blackburn horse riding centre approved (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Blackburn horse riding centre approved

8:41pm Thursday 19th March 2009

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A MAJOR horse-riding complex will be built on the outskirts of Blackburn after planners gave it the green light.

The scheme, which will be built on green belt land off Preston Old Road, Feniscowles, includes 41 stables, an indoor riding area and an outdoor access track on a 35-acre site.

The plans, put forward by Egerton-based Hoofers Equestrian Ltd, were approved by Blackburn with Darwen council’s planning committee tonight.

There were complaints by some councillors and a green activist that the centre would spoil the “beautiful” patch of land next to the River Darwen and backing on to the railway line.

Tony Duckworth, of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, told the committee: “We are concerned about what the area will look like in the future. Too many horses on a patch of land can totally destroy it.

”Having 41 horses walking around in circles is not small scale”.

And Labour Mil Hill councillor Jim Smith said: “I know that area because I walk my dog there and I feel we are going to ruin a beautiful area. The horses will make a real mess”.

Conservative ward councillor Derek Hardman said there was no legal right for pedestrians to use the land, an access footpath for walkers would be included.

He added: “He’s modified his plans over and over to try and resolve these issues”.

Vice committee chair Jackie Slater added: “For something like this to come to the borough is absolutely fantastic”.

The bus stop on Preston Old Road will have to be moved as part of the plans, and conditions have been added that the eight, six-metre-high floodlights are switched off by 9pm and the dark green building, on the north east corner of the site, is not visible from the roadside.

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