Issue - meetings

The Committee is asked to note the contents of the Scoping Report on the Racecourse and Equestrian Sector as a technical study that will form part of the evidence base for the emerging new Local Plan.

The Committee noted the contents of the Scoping Report on the Racecourse & Equestrian Sector as a technical study that will form part of the evidence base for the emerging new Local Plan.

With Epsom being the home of the Derby the racecourse and equestrian sector have long been recognised as a key part of the identity of the Borough and to that end the Council had commissioned a Scoping report on the Racecourse and Equestrian sector which would be used to form part of the evidence base for the new Local Plan.

The Scoping report identified interventions that could form the basis of enabling policies for the new Local plan including:

·                     Establishing a racing or recreation area

·                     Enabling investment into the racecourse

·                     Key workers accommodation

·                     Capital investment and enabling development

·                     Inward investment into the sector

·                     Growing the visitor economy

·                     Building on Epsom ‘Home of the Derby’

The following amendments and suggestions were made:

·                     Page 272 paragraph 6.2 – suggest amending the heading of the paragraph to read, ‘Investment in the Racehorse Training Sector’

·                     Page 273 paragraph 8.1 – suggest amending heading to read ‘Equine Training and Racing Zone’. It was also suggested that the Background Paper include an additional reference to the proposals for an Enterprise Zone as set out in the Spatial Economic Development Strategy

·                     Page 274 paragraph 8.2 – It was agreed to explore the Jockey Club’s utilisation of the Conference Centre outside of racing fixtures and amend the paragraph if considered applicable

·                     Page 275 paragraph 8.6 – amend paragraph cross-reference from 7.4 to 8.5

The Committee welcomed and acknowledged the report which identified the huge potential for working with the racing industry.

Accordingly, the Committee noted the contents of the Scoping Report on the Racecourse & Equestrian Sector as a technical study that will form part of the evidence base for the emerging new Local Plan.