Monday 30 April 2012

Sing for Joy Saturday 5th

Once again Soprano Lorraine Marshall and Tenor Kevin Jacot will be holding an open rehearsal in St Nicholas church from 3:30pm for about 40 minutes this coming Saturday

Take time to relax and experience this beautiful country church with its wonderful acoustics and atmosphere

Sunday 29 April 2012

Blog updated

Not everyone will have noticed that the Planning Applications page now has facilities to access local applications other than those belonging to the parish of Kingsley. It also has buttons to report planning breaches and obtain a list of enforcement actions.

The rights of way (footpaths and byways) page now includes a link directly to the relevant view of Hampshire County Council's interactive rights of way map. This enables you to find the exact locations of the various footpaths and bridleways and it also lets you report problems with paths directly to the relevant department.

When reporting a problem using the map, click the [i] button then click on the path affected.

Thursday 26 April 2012

Kingsley footpath 5 diverted

Footpath 5 which crosses the sandpit towards Oakhanger is to be diverted for a period of eight years to facilitate sand extraction by Tarmac Ltd.  The effect of the diversion is to avoid a "lake" and adds another 150m to the walk.  For any reasonably fit individual that should incur no more than a 90 second delay.

Wednesday 25 April 2012

Dear Mr McCarthy


Footpath 20 and 27 - Kingsley

Further to my letter of October 2011, please see enclosed I am writing to you to inform you of a number of issues with public rights of way that run over land I believe you own. These are Kingsley footpaths 20 and 27. Following a number of complaints from local residents, I conducted a site visit on 5th of April 2011 and noted the following issues:

Recently installed stiles at points A B C D and E (please refer to enclosed map).
These stiles serve no purpose other than to obstruct walkers, are not authorised (under section 147 of the Highways Act 1980) and are not detailed in the definitive statement. They could therefore constitute an offence under section 137 of the Highways Act (1980). Furthermore, due to the nature of their construction, they are unfit for purpose as they do not conform to BS5709:2006 and the barbed wire attached to them is a health and safety hazard.

The locked gate at point A
The locking of this gate with a padlock and chain is also a wilful obstruction and could be seen as an offence under HA(1980) s137.

The signs at points A and C
These signs are false, and intimidatory and do not remove any liability the landowner may have for any accidents that may occur in this area. They in fact show that the presence of a possible health and safety hazard has been acknowledged but that steps have not been taken to remove this hazard under the landowners duty.

The barbed wire fences that separate walkers from vehicles using the track have been installed so as to pinch walkers along the line of a grubbed out hedge. When enclosing a previously unenclosed path we request  . that barbed wire only be used where it is needed for stock control purposes and that a minimum usable (i.e. not broken ground) width of 2.5metres is made available for walkers.

I would also like to add that when approached by someone acting on your behalf he was both rude and intimidatory and we also have several reports from members of the public indicating the same behaviour towards them – the police have been made aware of this.

In order to resolve this matter I request  that the following work is undertaken by 25th May 2012. Please confirm to myself that this work has been carried out, if you fail to do so, Hampshire County Council may take further action against you:

Removal of the stiles at the points indicated.
Removal of any signs indicating that the public right of way is closed.
Removal of any barbed wire affecting the path.
The lock on the gate at point A to be removed and the gate to remain unlocked.
Resiting of the barbed wire fences along both footpath 20 and 27 to allow a minimum usable width of 2.5 metres.

I apologise if you are not the owner of this land but would request that you forward this letter onto the relevant person.

Kingsley footpath 20 walked

About 30 villagers and ramblers and several dogs completed the walk last evening from Upper Green, along footpath 20 and back via footpath 27 and the B3004 to Upper Green.

We gathered on Upper Green shortly before 7pm for a briefing and were photographed as a group for the local newspaper. The briefing was that we were simply going to assert our right of access. We didn't expect any confrontation with the landowner, Rory McCarthy who lives in the nearby Wheatley Oast, or any of his "land managers"; we weren't going to tear down fences or damage stiles but if anyone tried to block our way, we would call the police.

We were greatly encouraged to learn that Hampshire County Council has now written to the landowner instructing him to remove the barbed wire, the stiles and the notices as well as unlocking the gate and refraining from all further acts of intimidation towards footpath users.

Setting off along Sickles Lane we were joined by a local resident using a mobility scooter. On arrival at FP20, the mobility scooter had to leave us as further access would be impossible. The rest of us climbed over the gate, under the fence or walked through the narrow gap on the far side of the track.

With some walking inside the barbed wire and some along the track itself, where everyone used to walk before the barbed wire was erected, we were able to appreciate the contrast between the beauty of the open countryside and the sheer ugliness of the fencing.

Mr McCarthy clearly isn't a man who appreciates the Hampshire countryside.

Crossing the pointless stiles gave us plenty of opportunity to realise that Mr McCarthy isn't a man to employ fine craftsmen either. 

Footpath 27 runs along the edge of open fields. McCarthy's land extends some 100 yards from its junction with footpath 20. The 100 yards is enclosed with barbed wire and terminated with a stile after which the path simply continues across open land. What a stupid act of vandalism!

Footpath 27 extends the other way for 200 yards or so to the woods just past the "hay storage barn" where he keeps his airplane. That way is also blighted with pointless barbed wire and jerry built stiles.

Once off McCarthy land the walk became what all walks in the countryside should be, pleasant.



Tuesday 24 April 2012

Kingsley Parish Council - Thursday 26th

Kingsley Parish Council will meet in the Kingsley Centre this Thursday, 22nd, at 7:30pm

The first order of business is the Annual General Meeting of the council at which the various offices and representatives will be agreed and the final accounts will be approved.

This will be followed by the regular meeting at 8pm

AGENDA

1. Chairman’s Opening Remarks
2. Apologies for Absence
3. Declarations of Personal/Prejudicial Interest
4. Public Question Time: Public Questions

Consideration of agenda items which will be open to public participation

5. Approval of Minutes of the Meeting held on 22nd March 2012
6. Matters Arising

Queen Jubilee: To receive an update from Cllr Rigden

7. Planning

Applications ongoing:
34313/017 Oak Tree Farm, Gibbs Lane, Shortheath Common Bordon GU35 9JS

20661/048 Selborne Brickworks, Honey Lane, Selborne, Alton GU34 3BS
Construction of an anaerobic digester

30633/020 Grooms Farm, Frith End Road, Frith End, Bordon, GU35 0QR
Continued use of building for ancillary storage to hotel, private vehicle parking and agricultural storage with installation of roller shutter doors

New application:
30633/021 Grooms Farm, Frith End Road, Frith End, Bordon, GU35 0QR
Full change of use of building for events associated with existing hotel, agricultural uses and hot air balloon storage with associated works, parking and access from frith end quarry haul road

22732/015 Sandyfield Farm, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NG
Retropective change of use of part stable block to ancillary habitable accommodation to Sandyfield Farm

26242/043 Dean Farm Golf Course, Main Road, Kingsley, Bordon, GU35 9NG
Increase in roof height of clubhouse to form gable ends and storage area below

8. St Nicholas Cemetery & Cemetery Chapel :To accept the Guidance for Memorials
9. Transport, Highways and Road Safety : To receive an update from Cllr Lazenby

10. Commons, Village Greens and Rights of Way
'To receive an update for Upper Green
To receive an update from Cllr Lazenby on Cradle Lane
To receive an update from Cllr Lazenby on other local Rights of Way'

11. Community Resilience
12. Environment and Biodiversity
13. Sports, Recreation and Leisure

Allotments: To receive an update from Cllr Rigden

14. Kingsley Village Forum : To receive an update from Cllr Croucher
15. Parish Plan     : To receive an update from Cllr Rigden
16.  Housing, Business & Commerce
17. Communications : To receive a written report from the Clerk detailing correspondence

Website: To receive an update from Cllr Scrivener

18. District Councillor : To receive an update from District Councillor David Ashcroft
19. Procedures, Finance and Payments : Payments to be made & Accounts to accept

Date of Next Meeting : Thursday 24th May 2012 - 7.30 pm at the Kingsley Centre

Kingsley footpath 20

Tuesday 24th April is the 80th anniversary of the Kinder Scout Trespass which started the modern movement towards open access to the countryside upto and including the CROW Act 2000.


In Kingsley a small group of walkers will be marking this occasion with a "trespass" of our own. Footpath 20 which runs due east from Sickles Lane across land now owned by the former skydiver and entrepreneur Rory McCarthy has been fenced in for the last few months, separating it from the adjacent farm track, much to the dismay of local residents no longer able to exercise their dogs and in some cases themselves because of the barbed wire and jerry-built stiles. A few weeks ago the situation worsened when the gate at the Sickles Lane end was padlocked and notices erected at either end stating "FOOTPATH CLOSED due to vandalism and criminal damage". The claimed "vandalism and criminal damage" refers to the fact that several, randomly spaced, strands of barbed wire have been cut. On at least two occasions in the last fortnight footpath users have been warned off by people claiming to represent the landowner. 

It is a criminal offence to obstruct a public highway and it is the landowner's responsibility to maintain public access and public safety. When this was brought to the attention of one of those doing the warning off, his response was that the landowner was "a multimillionaire who will just play with you". 

Our group will leave Upper Green, Kingsley (SU789383) at 7pm, walk up Sickles Lane then down the entire length of footpath 20 before returning to the main road along footpath 27 and back to Upper Green, about 30-40 minutes. You are cordially invited to join us. 


Monday 23 April 2012

Dean Farm Golf Course, Main Road, Kingsley

This application 26242/043 seeking permission for

INCREASE IN ROOF HEIGHT OF CLUBHOUSE TO FORM GABLE ENDS AND STORAGE AREA BELOW

is marked as open for consultation until 18th May.

Thursday 19 April 2012

The Pond

The pond at Kingsley played a major part in the lives of most of the village children of my generation in some form or another. Obviously, fishing was very popular, sailing model boats, pond dipping, both as individuals and as a group from school,occasional skating, building camps around its edges and collecting frogs, toads and newts various.

In addition to all of this bird spotting and birds nesting were both popular and the pond provided a rich source for both. Although photography was nothing like as sophisticated as it is today, the pond featured as a popular subject for photographers. Occasionally there would appear an artist with paints and easels and I suspect there must be many pictures hidden away in homes of people who probably don’t know where the subject material came from.

My earliest memories of the pond recall significant differences from its present day appearance, for a start what appeared before the viewer suggested two ponds rather than one at that time. If the reader considers the modern day pond and focuses about two thirds of the way down,( perhaps a little more than that), and viewed from the western end. That is to say with your back to the pub looking east, the rushes extended outwards from both sides and left just a small gap through which water birds would pass into what appeared to be a smaller pond beyond the main water.

Rushes and weed mass of many varieties of water and bog plants provided a deep carpet like covering all around this smaller water area. Even as children we could walk through and on this spongy mass without sinking below the top of our wellies. This bog extended all around the eastern end right up to dry common ground. Getting shallower as it neared dry land, it supported many bog side and interesting water plants. Around the edges were large clumps of some sort of tussock grass which could be walked upon, but for small boys, more importantly it provided lots of straw like material for covering the rooves of our camps. During the winter months, when the tussocks had dried out, large clumps of the grass could be removed by hand and it came away very easily.

The other thing that made the appearance of the pond so different from today was the boating station which was situated on the school side of the pond. It was a man made cutting which extended from the main body of water in a rectangle which, I guess, was about sixteen to twenty feet in to the bank and was about eight feet across. I have a vague memory of a punt of some description being moored in this cutting. Since writing about this boating station I have spoken to my aunt who is in her eighties and has a recollection of Miss Lushington of Ockham Hall boating on the pond. Perhaps it was this lady whom had the boating area constructed. Whilst I don’t recall the old punt being used, it is possible that Miss Lushington had used it well before I was around. The other, more striking, difference was the presence of a large drum in the middle of the water. This was located in the western, large area of water, three quarters of the way down, (eastwards ), and roughly three quarters of the way across, again from the school side. It was a ridged drum, corrugated, and probably four feet across. It protruded from the water, usually by about a couple of feet. It remained in its location for most of my childhood but eventually it corroded and disappeared below the surface. I know not how it got there or why. It was,however a very popular resting place for all manner of water birds particularly the coots, which were then abundant.

I note from other contributions on The Kings Blog that the common, and I suppose the pond as well, are now listed as a Site of Special Scientific Interest. I would hazard a guess that the plant, bird and wild life which I knew so well as a child was much greater than it is today, in spite of the fact that the army regularly held mannoeuvres over the whole area which often extended for several days and involved tracked vehicles etc. For example, the fish population in the pond included the following species, Roach, Rudd, Gudgeon, Tench, Perch, and Crucian Carp. All of the above were abundant and the perch especially grew to almost record proportions. Although I never knew of a specimen fish being caught on rod and line, I know of their size as a result of a long dry summer when the water level and subsequently the oxygen level in the pond plummeted. This caused large numbers of these very large perch to die and float to the surface. People were generally amazed at both the number and size of those fish. Sadly I don’t recall which year this event occurred.

The pond provided a breeding ground for both frogs and toads and each spring the whole place became a frenzied mish mash of breeding pairs. This was followed by a mass of spawn and black clouds of tadpoles. Most years jars of spawn were collected for school and we all waited eagerly for the tadpoles to hatch. Newts were as common and the pond housed Common or Smooth and Palmate varieties. Occasionally the large black Great Crested newts were also found but these were not as common. At various times in the year the grass which grew up the church wall, on the pond side, could be pulled back to reveal large numbers of newts within the root system of the grass. On my recent visit to Kingsley I walked across to see if the newts were still there. Sadly they were not, however, it could be that my visit was at the wrong time of the year, but I suspect their disappearance is more likely as a result of the grass now being nicely trimmed and mowed and, therefore, it no longer extends up the surface of the wall providing the mass of roots which it once did.

The pond was also home to a very large leech population as I once found out to my cost. It was common, when pond dipping,to end up with leeches in jars or nets and often they would be on fish that we caught. On one occasion, however,I was fishing and sitting quietly on a stump on the bank when I became aware of a sharp pricking sensation on my left leg just below my knee. I had shoes on my feet not the usual wellies. I rolled up my trousers to find this great black Horse Leech firmly stuck on my leg. Not nice! This creature was about three inches long and as thick, at the back end, as a large black slug. I, of course, did absolutely all of the things I should not have done. Firstly I panicked and secondly I grabbed the wretched thing and pulled it off.

Leeches do not give up easily and it took quite a tug to move the thing. I was left with a red circle, like a blood blister, which bled profusely and remained as a reminder for a very long time before it completely healed. The accepted wisdom is not to pull leeches of but to apply a cigarette or some spirit liquid which they don’t like. This, I am told dislodges them. If, on the other hand,you are much braver than I was, you can just leave them in situ and when they have had enough of your blood they will go to sleep and drop off all of their own accord.

The pond was also a great attraction for snakes. Grass Snakes were quite often seen swimming in the water particularly when the frogs were about. Adders were also common visitors and although I never saw one in the water, I know of their presence around the pond by the discarded skins which they shed in the reeds and surrounding heather. I guess the boggy areas provided food for them as well.The sloughed skins were much sought after for display in school and those with the eye covers intact were especially prized.

Bird life in and around the pond was wonderful and very varied with some very rare occasional visitors turning up over the years. More of this in a later edition.

Monday 16 April 2012

Cradle Lane Monitoring

Now that the permanent TRO is in force on Cradle Lane the monitoring and incident reporting is in operation and YOU can take part and help preserve the lane and access to it for the good of everyone.

Firstly, using this form, please report any illegal act or anti-social behaviour.  Illegal activity includes vandalism and any use of the lane by motor vehicles having three or more wheels. It is important to remember that every incident, however minor should be reported as this helps a pattern of behaviour to be established which could be useful to the CSO responsible. If you witness Criminal Behaviour you can contact Tria Gibbs 11357 on countywatch@hampshire.pnn.police.uk

Secondly, use Cradle Lane Monitoring Form
if you have the time and enthusiasm to file a monitoring report on the condition of the lane. You can do this regularly or on an ad-hoc basis, every little helps.

Wednesday 11 April 2012

Sandyfield Farm, Main Road, Kingsley

This application 22732/015 seeking permission for

RETROSPECTIVE CHANGE OF USE OF PART STABLE BLOCK TO ANCILLARY HABITABLE ACCOMMODATION TO SANDY FIELD FARM

is marked as open for consultation until 10th May

Tuesday 10 April 2012

Road Used as a Public Path

Road Used as a Public Path, RUPP, is a legal term, now defunct, introduced by the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, an Act "... to make further provision for the recording, creation, maintenance and improvement of public paths and for securing access to open country, and to amend the law relating to rights of way; ...."

So what was a RUPP? The 1949 Act offers the following definitions:-

"footpath" means a highway over which the public have a right of way on foot only, other than such a highway at the side of a public road ;
"bridleway" means a highway over which the public have the following, but no other, rights of way, that is to say. a right of way on foot and a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, with or without a right to drive animals of any description along the highway ;
"public path" means a highway being either a footpath or a bridleway ;
"road used as a public path" means a highway, other than a public path, used by the public mainly for the purposes for which footpaths or bridleways are so used.

So a RUPP was a definitively imprecise label.  It's not a footpath and it's not a bridleway but it was clearly expected that people would walk and/or ride along a RUPP and then comes the word "mainly" which adds the possibility of vehicular rights.

The Countryside Act 1968 included a section designed to do away with the term RUPP altogether:

Reclassification of roads used as public paths
9.-(1) In the special review the draft revision, and the definitive map and statement, shall show every road used as a public path by one of the three following descriptions-
(a) a " byway open to all traffic ",
(b) a "bridleway ",
(c) a " footpath ",
and shall not employ the expression "road used as a public path" to describe any way.

The intention of that Act was that, within a short period, three years, RUPP would become obsolete and that vehicular rights to a route would be either confirmed or denied. That didn't always happen though, so

The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 made provision for the Definitive Map and Statement to be kept under continuous review and repeated the formula with respect to RUPPs given in the 1968 Act.

Next step in the saga was the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 which finally killed off the term by redefining all remaining RUPPs using a new term "Restricted Byway" with the following rights:

(a) a right of way on foot,
(b) a right of way on horseback or leading a horse, and
(c) a right of way for vehicles other than mechanically propelled vehicles;

In Kingsley only one RUPP was recorded, Cradle Lane, and it was reclassified as BOAT after the 1981 Act.

THE BEST MARIGOLD HOTEL

For those who missed this film the first time it visited Alton or thought it so good they would like to see it again there is another chance on Friday 20 April.

Alton Lions will be hosting a showing at Alton’s Palace Cinema to raise funds for Home Start Wey Water, a charity supporting families in Alton, Bordon and Liphook. The evening will start at 7.00 pm with a sparkling wine reception and a presentation on behalf of the charity.

The film is a comedy in which British retirees travel to India to take up residence in a newly restored hotel. The film starts at 8.00 pm and stars Judi Dench, Bill Nighy, Maggie Smith, Tom Wilkinson and Dev Patel.

Tickets are £10 and are available from Brian Lazenby or the Alton Herald office in Market Square.

Friday 6 April 2012

Easter Egg Hunt

The annual Easter Egg Hunt will take place this Sunday in the paddock of The Cricketers Inn at 12:30pm

Prizes for children from infants onwards, raffle and refreshments for grownups.


Wednesday 4 April 2012

Cradle Lane permanent TRO

A permanent Traffic Regulation Order has now been made in respect of Cradle Lane and it is effective as of 6th April 2012.

The full terms are available in this PDF but the summary is as follows:-

To prohibit any motor vehicle with three or more wheels from proceeding in Kingsley BOAT (Byway Open to All Traffic) 29 from a point where it meets Binsted BOAT 75 at SU 8142 3955 to a point where it meets Headley BOAT 36 at SU 8170 3895, and in Headley BOAT 36 from a point where it meets Kingsley BOAT 29 at SU 8170 3895 to its junction with Picketts Hill at SU 8152 3853, at any time.

Sunday 1 April 2012

Old Park Farm: Fun and Adventure!

This application, 27396/028, seeks permission for

USE OF AGRICULTURAL LAND FOR QUAD BIKING, PAINT BALLING AND MOTO-PARAGLIDING ACTIVITIES AND CONSTRUCTION OF RECEPTION BUILDING

at Old Park Farm.

The public consultation period for this application has ended. We are no longer accepting comments from the public on this application


Kingsley Parish Council - STRONGLY OPPOSED to this planning application for the following reasons:- 1. DIVERSIFICATION Whilst we acknowledge that the Government is encouraging farmers to diversify, this should not be done in an insensitive manner to the detriment of the land & local residents. The diversification should be where "meaningful opportunities" exist. Our understanding of this is that the opportunity should be "equidistant from both extremes". We seriously question that this is the case with this application. All land is under intense pressure especially in the South East and this application puts an unacceptable amount of further pressure on this area of comparatively quiet beautiful Hampshire countryside. It will do nothing but harm to the considerable amount of wildlife that includes badgers, deer, foxes, owls, partridges etc. in an area which is something of a haven and not constantly disturbed by human beings. We view this application at the extreme end of the disturbance scale and totally out of keeping with the local area. 2. LOCATION There is absolutely NO JUSTIFICATION for these unnatural country activities on the proposed site. This is NOT some isolated spot miles from anywhere. It is relatively close to the village of Kingsley and within 500 metres of several hours. Let common sense prevail, it is without doubt a totally unsuitable site. 3. EMPLOYMENT The application provides no proof whatsoever of any employment gain. The people likely to be involved with the proposal are already employed on the farm anyway. There is a vague reference to some further part time employment presumably if the business is a success. 4. DAYS/HOURS OF OPERATION The applicant proposes that Quad Biking will take place on 25 days per month between the hours of 9am - 5.30 pm. Paint Balling is a 24 hrs exercise, is this really remotely acceptable so close to a residential area with noise, lights etc. late at night? Moto Paragliding involves 6 hours flying per person per week when the weather is suitable. Apart from the Quad Biking the days and hours are suitably vague to say the least and not acceptable. We would wish to see the applicant clarify this part of the proposal and to comment further if and when this is done. IF this proposal was to be granted permission then we would like to see the days/hours restricted as follows:- . a DAYS Preferably restricted to WEEKDAYS ONLY, but if not, to include 2 Saturdays only per calendar month which must be published to local residents 6 weeks in advance. NO SUNDAYS whatsoever. This will at least ensure that local residents do not have Summer Sundays totally disturbed by roaring Quad Bikes and that they have some full weekends of total peace and quiet. . b HOURS 1 Quad Bikes 9am to 5.30 pm only 2 Paint Balling NOT 24 HRS. Weekdays only plus 2 Saturdays per month, 9 am to 2 hrs after dark and before idnight. 3 Motor Paragliding 9am to 5.30 pm only 4. ACCESS The applicant proposes access to be only through Old Park Farm. No access should be permitted from Sickles Lane/Road. 5. NOISE We challenge the applicants' statement in para. 2.6.1.: The noise levels were measured by an EHDC Environmental specialist and were found to be well within acceptable statutory limits (when operated in the field area A,B and C non readable and when operated from the farm buildings: Paramotor 50-60 Decibels; Quad Bikes 55 Decibels - all of which are below the local traffic registered background noise level and acceptable in terms of statutory noise level requirements). We believe the measurements of the noise level were done with a limited number of 50cc Quad bikes. To our knowledge no measurement has been done with 15 x 150cc bikes (max group size proposed) + 2 instructors on bikes presumably 150cc. So a total of 17 x 150cc bikes roaring around the proposed field of activity at full throttle would be a totally different scenario from the demonstration. We believe EHDC Environmental Health Officer should assess the situation not on db(A) or Leq's basis but on what Govt Circular 10/73 describes as "common sense judgements". 17 x 150cc Quad bikes are going to make a HUGE AMOUNT OF NOISE. Govt. Circular 10/73 must be a material consideration. This level of noise will be totally unacceptable and a serious loss of amenity to the local residents of this peaceful, rural, Greenfield, beautiful Hampshire countryside. 7 MOTO PARAGLIDING We question the recorded noise levels stated in paragraph 2.6.1 of the applicants submission. Was the moto-paragliding 500.1000 feet in the air at the time of the recordings? The applicant has tried to allay peoples' fears stating that the flying will be restricted over fields A B and C. These will be novice flyers who will instantly be so capable that they can restrict their flying to a designated area? We have our doubts and have concerns of the possible risk and dangers involved. 8 BRIDLEWAYS AND FOOTPATHS The proposed area of activity will present possible dangers to the users of footpaths 29, 27 and 71 parts of which are within the proposed area of activities. Bridleway 62 runs close to the northern boundary and Bridleway 30 runs close to the eastern boundary of the proposed area of activities. These proposed activities are all INCOMPATIBLE with horse riding and will present possible dangers for the riders. These are unacceptable risks. 9. HORSES & QUAD BIKES As the Quad Bikes will start at Old Park Farm albeit slowly we presume that the applicant does not perceive a conflict of interests between the horse riders at his livery stables and the quad bikers. We believe otherwise and there will be dangers for the riders. 10. RECEPTION BUILDING As stated by the applicant, Old Park Farm has been developed into an industrial/office complex. Recently an application for a permanent office building was refused so we see no reason to agree to a similar building as part of this application. The applicant should use/adapt his existing offices/buildings. Old Park Farm is, in our opinion, already fully developed if not over developed and no further development can be justified for any reason. 11. SOUTH DOWNS NATIONAL PARK (SDNP) The status of the SDNP is that it is 'designated awaiting confirmation'. It is therefore a material consideration of SIGNIFICANT weight in the determination of this application and should form a large part of EHDC's deliberation. The proposed site for activities is approx. 600m from the SDNP boundary to the north-west on Sickles Lane/Road. There inevitably must be some kind of "buffer zone" around the SDNP and this sort of activity within that buffer zone would be totally unacceptable. 12 THE POSSIBLE FUTURE The wording of the application strongly suggests that this application is merely a "foot in the door". IF it was granted permission, IF it was a success then there is little or no doubt that other possibly noisier activities will be included to make the whole business a more viable proposition. FINALLY, grant permission to this application and we believe EHDC will be setting a very dangerous precedent throughout the District - please DON'T!