Newmarket group packs gallery for crucial talks

NEWMARKET’S racing industry was out in force at Mildenhall council offices on Wednesday when the public gallery was packed to witness the discussion of transport issues surrounding Lord Derby’s controversial plans to build 1,200 houses at Hatchfield Farm.

After waving their placards outside the council chamber, members of the Save Historic Newmarket Action Group, including trainers’ wives Jacko Fanshawe and Rachel Hood, looked on as inspector Paul Crysell opened the meeting.

Rachel Hood: group member

  PICTURE: Dan Abraham  

The government-appointed official was there to assess implications of traffic on Forest Heath Council’s Core Strategy, of which the proposed development at Hatchfield Farm is a large part.

Much of the early discussion centred on the problematic A14/A142 junction, which is next to the site and is already
choked with traffic from neighbouring Cambridgeshire and elsewhere.

Many ideas to tackle the problem were floated, but Cambridgeshire County Council, Suffolk County Council, and
the Highways Agency were unwilling to pay for it.

Peter Grimm, of Suffolk CC, said: “The Highways Agency has identified this junction as one of the top ten problem junctions in the region and there is no short-term traffic solution to accommodate this development.”

Problems were also discussed about access to central Newmarket (via Fordham Road) if the development went ahead, and the impact on the racing industry.

Crysell said: “I need to know how effective other sustainable transport would be in relation to Newmarket, and traffic projections in ten to 15 years’ time.”

Simon Bird QC, speaking on behalf of Tattersalls, said: “With the increase of traffic on the A142/A14 junction and rat-running through Burwell and Snailwell, the policy will certainly impact on the racing industry.

“We need the horse racing industry to be buoyant. The recent traffic study by Aecom makes no mention of the traffic impact on horseracing in Newmarket.”

Forest Heath councillors revealed that discussions with the Highways Agency and the Jockey Club had already taken place concerning possible implementation of a bus lane down
Fordham Road, but admitted it would not fit.

A 20mph limit on the approach to the problematic horse-crossing at the town end of Fordham Road adjacent to Rayes
Lane was also discussed.

James Fanshawe: traffic concerns

  PICTURE: Edward Whitaker/ racingpostpix.com  

Planning consultant Bob Sellwood, on behalf of Lord Derby, argued: “The impact on the A142/A14 junction can be

overcome and I can’tsee that there are any showstoppers as regards the Core Strategy.”

After the meeting, Hood said: “The traffic study by Aecom was unsatisfactory as the word ‘horse’ didn’t appear in it anywhere.

“Newmarket is at breaking point as it is with traffic, as [trainers] James Fanshawe and Mark Tompkins said
recently.”

Crysell is expected to make his recommendations regarding the
soundness of the Core Strategy document in March.