Constituency News
Save the Lavandou Stables
Local MP Chris Grayling has presented a petition to Epsom and Ewell Borough Council, signed by large numbers of local residents opposing the redevelopment of the historic Lavandou stables at the Durdans in Epsom. "No one in Epsom wants to see this site, so important to our racing heritage, redeveloped for other purposes," says Chris. Chris has sent an open letter to the Earl of Halifax, the owner of the site, urging that the Lavandou stables be preserved for the racing industry. You can read a copy of the letter here.
Open Letter to the Earl of Halifax
Go to Top14th April 2008
Dear Lord Halifax
I am writing this open letter to you following the news that you have now submitted an application to convert the historic Lavandou racing stables at the Durdans in Epsom into housing and office units.
The stables are Epsom's most historic racing site, and were the place where Lord Rosebery trained his famous Derby-winning horses. It is a complex of listed buildings.
As a training centre, Epsom is under constant pressure since its proximity to London and current land values make it highly attractive financially to move sites out of the training industry, and sell them for development. What makes it particularly surprising and disappointing is that in the case of the Durdans, it is a senior member of the Jockey Club who is set on redeveloping Epsom's most historic racing stables.
Since we were first in contact over this issue you have consistently claimed that there is little interest in retaining the Durdans for racing. When we met you also appeared to be sceptical about whether new trainers would come to Epsom at all.
Yet one of Epsom's most clearly established owners has on more than one occasion in the past few years approached you with a view to purchasing the site and restoring it for racing. He tells me he is still willing to do so.
And there is often now a shortage of sites for racing in Epsom. In the past year we have had trainers in temporary accommodation on the racecourse. Only last month a major, established trainer with 60 horses wanted to come to Epsom but no site was available.
Of course, the value of a dilapidated racing yard is significantly less if used for racing than it would be if it was redeveloped. But that does not provide grounds for redevelopment.
I have no doubt that your Garrowby Stud in Yorkshire would command much greater value if it were turned into a substantial housing estate.
But that doesn't mean that it should be.
As the owner of a listed complex, you also have had a legal duty to ensure that it does not become dilapidated. The reason that the stables at the Durdans are in the condition they are today is that they have not been kept in good order in recent years. The situation has become so serious that the local authority are now embarking on an enforcement process against you that could lead within a few months to compulsory purchase under the rules that apply to listed buildings.
How is it that as a senior figure in the Jockey Club you have permitted one of Britain's most historic racing buildings to fall into such a state of disrepair that the local authority has felt obliged to pursue listed building enforcement proceedings against you?
Even at this late stage, I would publicly urge you to withdraw your redevelopment plans. They face almost universal opposition in the community in Epsom. They will weaken Epsom's future as a training centre. They are the wrong thing to do.
Instead I would urge you to work with the local racing industry and the local community to find a proper option to restore the stables at the Durdans for racing.
It may not be as financially attractive an option for you and your family. But it is the right thing to do.
To do otherwise would be to ignore the interests of racing in a way that is in my view unbecoming of a senior member of the Jockey Club.
Yours sincerely
Chris Grayling MP