Horse owners who say woods next to their livery yard have been ridden in for about half a century are baffled by the council’s installing barriers to prevent their access.
Clients of Oak Farm in Epping Green, Essex, prefer to use part of Harlow Woods to hack in rather than local roads, which they say are dangerous as drivers fail to slow down to pass horses, and often “shout abuse”.
But in February this year, their access to the wood was blocked.
Harlow Council says it has “concerns about the unauthorised use of the woods”, which are part of a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) for which it is responsible, and that riding in the woods has been banned for many years.
But Edmund Wilson, whose daughter rides at Oak Farm, told H&H his wife’s family has been hacking in the woods since the 1970s, a decade before the SSSI status was awarded.
“Our argument is that the status was awarded in spite of hacking,” he said. “Then in February, a council worker said it’s an SSSI and we’re not allowed in. No consultation or discussion, the barriers went up.
“The barriers are super-restrictive, and stopped us instantly, but also other people, so the only ones now who can access the woods are able-bodied people who can turn sideways.
“We’ve been told we’re in breach of a regulation about recreational use likely to damage species of interest but the SSSI status says the species of interest are broadleaf trees, and ponds and watercourses, rides and glades, and that the ground is acidic and species-poor. We’ve been in there 50 years with no issues; our activity isn’t likely to damage it as a horse isn’t likely to trample a tree.”
Mr Wilson said the riders’ activity is not “en masse”; three to four may go out, a few times a week. He added that Natural England documents on SSSIs say riding should likely carry on, and that specific site surveys would be needed to exclude horses.
“If Natural England had said ‘No horses’, so be it,” he said. “But we believe the councillors have dug their heels in, so there’s a stand-off going on. The council leader said we can have a meeting to discuss it, but the council says it’s got evidence saying we’re not allowed, and we’re asking where it is.”
Victoria McGrath, also a livery client at Oak Farm, told H&H a petition calling for riders to be allowed in the woods had been signed by 1,500 people.
“We’ve got children and ponies with no hacking now,” she said. “Although it’s rural here, drivers don’t adhere to the speed limit, we get abuse and shouted at, and it feels like we’ve got nowhere to go.”
When H&H contacted Harlow Council, it sent back the statement: “We are aware of the concerns of horse riders about access to Risden Woods. Equally, we have some concerns about the unauthorised use of the woods, which are part of a site of special scientific interest that we manage and have a responsibility for. The woods have no public right of way in them and no pathways are designated bridleways or by-ways. Horse riding in the woods has been prohibited for many years.
“The council leader and cabinet member for environment recently met with the riders to listen to their concerns and to try and find a way forward. Communication between the council and the riders has continued.
“The woods are currently in unfavourable condition with a recovering status due to the current programme of conservation management. This effort will need to be sustained with adequate safeguards to achieve favourable condition status for the site of special scientific interest feature. Therefore, based on advice from the West Anglia area delivery team at Natural England, we cannot allow access to the woods for the purpose of horse riding.
“We have suggested to the riders an alternative solution. This is that Essex County Council is approached about redesignating as a bridleway the current public right of way that goes around the site of special scientific interest and links to the byway in Epping.”
H&H asked the council for comment on whether the West Anglia team had concerns about riders, and has had no reply.
Mr Wilson said in response to the council’s statement: “We are fully aware of the SSSI status of Risden Wood and have contacted Natural England, who have provided excellent advice and guidance on the best way to move this forward. Indeed, the communications we have received from Natural England seem to be at odds with the communications that [Harlow councillor] Cllr Purse purports to have had. We are also aware that other SSSI sites of a similar status under the jurisdiction of the West Anglia team at Natural England do allow horse riding activities to take place.
“The suggestion made by Councillor Purse is ill-informed in that there is not enough space between the SSSI site and private land to expand the public right of way, however we are of course exploring other avenues to secure safe and off-road hacking for our children.”
Sonja Kaupe, West Anglia SSSI senior adviser for Natural England, told H&H: “When a landowner of a SSSI wants to carry out an activity, such as horse riding, which requires Natural England’s consent, then in accordance with the Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981 (as amended) we will work with the landowner to assess the potential impact of such an activity. This is assessed on a case by case basis.”
Natural England confirmed that since an initial meeting with the council, “no further discussions about horse riding activity within Harlow Woods have taken place”.
You might also be interested in:
‘Fit for purpose, justified and fair for riders’: woodland riding permits under review
The ins and outs of ‘hacking out’
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