Comment
New Local Plan
Representation ID: 3172
Received: 06/03/2019
Respondent: Essex Bridleways Association
Question 7: as per the comments to question 6.6, good access to recreation and leisure is imperative to the health and wellbeing of the borough’s residents, and any new large-scale development within a greenfield site should include opportunities for access for ALL user groups, including equestrians – bridleways are the ‘best value’ multi-user routes as they cater for all vulnerable user groups – pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and the disabled – and as such should be considered as the default option in such cases.
It should be remembered that horse riding is often an activity enjoyed by women and children, two groups who are often targeted to increase their uptake of exercise and the provision of off-road routes is imperative to continuing recreational horse riding within an area due to the increase in traffic which will inevitably happen with an increase in the population. This coupled with the economic benefits that horse owning brings to the local economy – for example vets, farriers, feed merchants, saddlers etc – strongly evidences the need to ensure that there are off-road routes available. Any design policies within the Plan should incorporate such multi-user routes for this Plan to be found sound by an Inspector.
Question 7: as per the comments to question 6.6, good access to recreation and leisure is imperative to the health and wellbeing of the borough’s residents, and any new large-scale development within a greenfield site should include opportunities for access for ALL user groups, including equestrians – bridleways are the ‘best value’ multi-user routes as they cater for all vulnerable user groups – pedestrians, cyclists, equestrians and the disabled – and as such should be considered as the default option in such cases.
It should be remembered that horse riding is often an activity enjoyed by women and children, two groups who are often targeted to increase their uptake of exercise and the provision of off-road routes is imperative to continuing recreational horse riding within an area due to the increase in traffic which will inevitably happen with an increase in the population. This coupled with the economic benefits that horse owning brings to the local economy – for example vets, farriers, feed merchants, saddlers etc – strongly evidences the need to ensure that there are off-road routes available. Any design policies within the Plan should incorporate such multi-user routes for this Plan to be found sound by an Inspector.