New Stud
Diary
At the beginning of April 2007 we purchased what we hope will become our new home, as we have somewhat outgrown the current one - pony wise! A mere 3 miles from our current location, 'Site Adj to Kenilworth', as it is currently known, has planning permission for a commercial equestrian centre with indoor and outdoor arena, offices, stables and barn and 8 paddocks. The plan is to expand the stud and offer show production livery for Welsh ponies. At the moment it looks a mess - was a civil engineering contractors site office and has been derelict for 15 years - have we bitten off more than we can chew?!
I shall try to keep a diary of progress on this page - possibly the most stressful project we have undertaken to date!!
The first and foremost task is the amendment of the planning consents to enable us to live on site in a temporary dwelling whilst the stud is being established on its new site. I have been eating, sleeping and dreaming PPS7 - the governments rural planning policy statement since this is the main decision making tool in the planning process. We are working with a specialist equestrian planning consultant in order to present evidence that we fully satisfy the conditions to be granted permission to reside on site. Believe me this isn't a process for the fainthearted! The 'portfolio' of evidence I am presenting is extensive and whilst I understand this is to ensure people do not abuse the system, I hope it will be all worth it!!!
May 2007 - We have been working on clearing the site and returning the grassland to a decent state - it has not been grazed or mown for approx 4 years and is quite wild. Spraying, mowing and hedge trimming has all happened now. New access driveway from the road has been installed.
June 2007 - The 1 acre concrete yard has been cleared of 15 years worth of scrub, brambles and self seeded trees and the old site office has been demolished. Good news - we have found a live electricity supply, water meter and possibly even BT connection! Security fencing has been removed and we are just waiting for the Demolition company to crush the concrete ready for it to be reused for the 250m driveway and the base for the stables.
Small part of the concrete yard - complete with Lloyd on his 'baby' digger!
June 2007 - our house sold after being on the market for 1 week! - panic ensued and I ordered stables and booked fencing man to visit. 2 weeks later and someone in the chain has dropped out....house back on market, can breathe again!
July 2007 - Driveway is all pegged out now and ready to dig - stable area has been dug out. Waiting for concrete now - demolition has not yet happened due to none stop rain thought ground is holding up well. Time is ticking on very quickly....
August 2007 - The house is sold again - same buyer! - This time things look promising and we could be out by the end of October!!
.....Meanwhile Major groundwork is commencing and in 2 more weeks we should have some pictures of a radically different plot of land hopefully! Stabling and fencing is booked for 2nd and 3rd week of October. Utility connections, drainage and mobile homes are the current topic of conversation and will be next.
25th August 2007
Day one of first phase - base of driveway is now in - all made using recycled concrete and road planings from site. Stables and barn bases have been dug. Soil quality is excellent - no clay! As you can see the ground is dry despite heavy rain up to yesterday. We also have an abundance of grass again... Picked the right week to start though - just look at that sky!
left - view from driveway to barn, right - stable base to right of barn
above left - topsoil being removed from a bank to the left of the old yard, the pegged area in the foreground is the new driveway route. right - ground being reinstated now the concrete has been removed, this will be reseeded and returned to grazing
View of driveway back towards the front of site - they assure me the edges will be neat when its all finished!
progress report and more pictures on monday
2nd September
Forgot camera but basically all the driveway is in, concrete all gone and nice flat paddocks with topsoil levelled ready for seeding. Next two weeks will be lots of boring but essential stuff - electricity, water and BT cables run along the side of the drive. Sewage treatment plant and soakaways installed. Most importantly the base for the mobile home - which we purchased yesterday! Stable concrete base goes down on 16th September. Stables and fencing are booked for early October, though today we found a technical hitch - proposed move date is 12th October!! - Can we do it, watch this space.....
7th October
Things now look radically different, fencing has been going on over the past week and the stables arrive tomorrow. All utilities are in as is the treatment plant. Next couple of weeks will be a big tidy up ready for final adjustments. Luckily our house move is not happening for a couple of weeks.... so I will get some pictures!
Contact - Liesl & Martin Burt
Wesley Cottage, Little Clacton Road, Great Holland, Frinton on Sea. Essex. CO13 0EU.
Tel: (+44) 01255 812117 / 07940 401466
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