[The Enquirer] An equestrian centre in jeopardy has been offered a new home by Basildon Council to safeguard the future of the centre for riders and their horses.

The current centre only has a lease with the Homes and Communities Agency until March 2014. Image: Longwood EC

Longwood Equestrian Centre, based in Dry Street, Basildon, have been offered a new home by Basildon Council next to Wat Tyler Country Park.

The current centre only has a lease with the Homes and Communities Agency until March 2014. The Agency owns the land and is developing proposals in partnership with the Council and South Essex College to create new family housing, that will in turn help to fund a new £30m town centre college campus.

The new campus on Market Square, received the go ahead by the Council’s Development Control and Traffic Management Committee by a narrow margin on Tuesday, 29 January.              horse lorry              equihunter horseboxes

Basildon Council and the HCA have been working to find a new site for the owners of Longwood, and announced on Tuesday that land next to Wat Tyler has been offered to the Centre on a long lease, subject to further work to determine the suitability of the site.

The centre will also get a significant sum from section 106 planning contributions to help it relocate, on the condition that it remains in the Borough.  This gives the centre owner the flexibility to also look for private land within the Borough in the knowledge that financial assistance will still be available even if he does not choose the council owned site.

Councillor Malcolm Buckley, cabinet member for regeneration, says: “I am delighted that we are able to offer this alternative site to the Longwood Equestrian Centre.  We recognise that this is a popular facility, and have been committed to keeping it within the borough.

“We have been doing all that we can to find a suitable relocation site within the Council’s ownership and I am pleased that we can now make this offer subject to further work to determine its suitability, along with financial help to facilitate a move.  I now look forward to seeing the centre’s proposals for the future.”

Read the full story at The Enquirer…..

The Enquirer
6th Feb, 2013

For further enquiries about the Longwood Equestrian Centre….

Call:  01702 202520 – During Office Hours 

Email: info@longwoodec.com

Address:
Longwood Equestrian Centre
Dry Street
Basildon
Essex
SS16 5NG