'Horses and concrete crushers don't go together' - threat to Chris Gordon's yard

Chris Gordon is fearful that he will be forced to move out of his historic Hampshire yard following a planning application to build a concrete crusher on an industrial site next door to his stables.

The Grade 2-winning trainer has been based at Morestead Stables, three miles south of Winchester, since 2007 but the future of the yard is under threat after a planning application was lodged with South Downs National Park Authority to change the use of Unit 3, Morestead Farm, to "general industrial to enable the creation of a soil cleaning and concrete crushing facility".

The industrial estate directly borders some of the paddocks of Gordon's yard – a former First World War base from where racehorses have been trained for more than 90 years – and the installation of the concrete crusher could mean Gordon may have to sell the stables in the interests of the horses' welfare.

"To move away from this place would be catastrophic for us," said Gordon. "We started out with four horses in 2007 and it's taken a bloody long time to get to where we are. My wife and I have grafted away because we absolutely love what we do.

"We've had a wonderful few years here but, as you can imagine, the dust from concrete is toxic for humans and horses to breathe in. You can imagine the noise one of those places generates too and, sadly, if it gets the go-ahead we'd be unable to function from this yard.

"I can't turn any of my horses out in the paddocks; if one of those things starts up when the horse is having a pick of grass it will make them go absolutely bananas. It's making our lives an absolute nightmare."

Chris Gordon: 'It's making our lives an absolute nightmare'Credit: Edward Whitaker

Gordon said building had commenced on the concrete crusher without the necessary planning permission and added it will also be severely damaging for his 82-year-old neighbour, who suffers from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which causes breathing problems.

The trainer emphasises the "huge stress" the issue has created for him, wife Jenny and his employees, and he is also concerned about the impact it could have on his owners.

He said: "I can't tell you how much it's interfering with us mentally. I go to bed and wake up thinking about concrete crushers. It's a real killer for us. The staff have been here for a long time and some since the very beginning, and they're extremely worried about their jobs.

"All of our owners are very loyal supporters. They love coming here as it's a great part of the world. Our racing yard is a community; a lot of our owners come over for weekends and we love them staying around. To lose all of that would be a huge blow."

More than 60 objections have been made to South Downs National Park Authority, including one from the National Trainers Federation.

Gordon said: "Horses and concrete crushers do not go together and hopefully the powers that be will see that.

"The last thing we want to do is move away from this place. The South Downs National Park is a beautiful, tranquil and amazing place to train racehorses. It would break our hearts to leave."

South Downs National Park Authority declined to comment when contacted by the Racing Post.

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