EXCLUSIVE Trouble in paradise? Why wealthy homeowners in exclusive 'golden triangle' Cheshire village are furious over plans for riding school for SEND children
Several wealthy members of the Cheshire set in Over Peover claim that the plans threaten to turn a bridleway into a rat-run.
And they say the development represents a threat to the area's tranquility and to their mental health.
Affluent Over Peover is situated in a well heeled area of Cheshire known as the exclusive 'golden triangle' and the surroundings are home to many famous faces including former Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson.
At a heated Parish Council meeting, objectors told the land's owner, Dave Whitmore, that his plans to transform a grain store into riding stables would wreck the area and constitute a 'hazard'.
Mr Whitmore said: 'I honestly can't believe the reaction that this has got. It's like I've proposed a nuclear reactor not a riding school with a few alpacas in the middle of the countryside.
'People suggested I use it as a haulage depot but as it is served by a bridleway, the riding school is a far better fit.'
Such is the anger generated by the development that Cheshire police have already been involved.
It is claimed that one member of the local opposition pulled her Range Rover alongside a 13-year-old mute child going for their first ride out with a teacher and, while filming on her phone, shouted: 'Are you from that local school? You shouldn't be here'.
Cheshire Police said the incident had been reported to them, but it was a 'civil matter'. Mr Whitmore, who lives in the village with his wife and three children, said: 'I have had good fortune in my life and coming from a council estate in Oldham, I want to give something back to disadvantaged kids.
'There has been talk of not wanting 'these sort of people' here. It's a lovely village with some great people in it but there's a vocal minority who have got nasty over nothing at all.'
Mr Whitmore bought the 44-acre plot earlier this year from David Irlam, a haulage boss and major landowner in the area.
It is close to Mr Irlam's luxury wedding venue Colshaw Hall and to where Jordan Henderson has a home. He has not joined the objectors.
Mr Whitmore added: 'I have been completely open and honest about my intentions with everybody from the start.
'In the future I want to build three or four houses there for my children but that is 15 years away and I don't know if I will get permission.
'In the meantime I want to put it to a good use so I have teamed up with the riding school who do incredible work with local authorities in the area to help kids who struggle to cope in a mainstream environment.
'I went to see all the neighbours and told them what I wanted to do but still they are spreading false rumours all over social media.'
The Higher Farm Riding School was based in the nearby village of Byley where its website boasts four arenas, a café and 'events throughout the year'.
And the thought of all that extra traffic to a location without any access besides a single-lane, tarmacked bridleway, sent villagers into a spin.
One local, who asked not to be named, said: 'Since the land was sold and the Riding School moved in we have seen traffic running along the bridleway all the time, including big Arctics.
'This is an area we have used for walking and riding bikes for years.
'This development will totally change the area. It will ruin the mental health of those living around here and its scale is scaring us all.
'They have no planning permission. They have not even submitted an application and yet we know they are advertising their business.
'The rest of us have to jump through hoops. If you do anything around here, you need a bat survey or a newt survey but they are carrying on as though the rules don't apply to them. It's an outrage.'
The riding school outrage is just the latest scandal that has engulfed the litigious village and surrounding area
Villagers in Over Peover, previously complained their lives have been made a living hell by helicopters flying in and out three times a day
Last month, a former former football club boss claimed he would have to knock down his million-pound family home to satisfy 'jobsworth' council planners and his neighbours who claimed he has increased it by a huge 140 per-cent.
Last year, local councillors objected to owner William Stobart allowing a helicopter business to operate from his estate.
Villagers had complained their lives were made a living hell by helicopters flying in and out three times a day
And in 2020, bosses at nearby Manchester Airport fought Jordan Henderson's plans to install as pond in the grounds of his £3million mansion due to fears they could attract birds, also including gulls and waterfowl, that could fly into engines, endangering aircraft.
Complaining residents said they had seen crisp packets on the bridleway and even alleged that travellers had taken over the site.
Another local man, spoken to by MailOnline, expressed concern at the effects on Lower Moss Wood, an educational nature reserve and Wildlife Hospital.
It is home to a range of wildlife including stoats, weasels, dragon flies and owls.
He said: 'This is a haven. Their land backs onto this wood. I don't want tanoy announcements going off all day long and lots of banging and crashing. The owls will leave.'
Another opponent of the change added: 'They've got alpacas on there and if they're carrying TB that could be the end of the badgers in the wood.'
But Laura Clarke who runs the Riding School along with fellow former ambulance worker Andy Powell, said the locals had got it all wrong.
'We are scaling back the Riding School to concentrate on our work with kids who need help,' she said. 'There will be no events, there will be no café and no disruption to those who live nearby.
'At present we have ten children coming to use our services. They are brought in by local authorities.
'Some will study for City and Guilds qualifications with us. Some are children in care, some have learning issues, and they all benefit from their time with the animals.
'The objections are horrible. We have been reported for mistreating the animals and had inspectors visit but the truth is that we run things to a very high standard as anyone who visits can see.'
Ben Wharfe of Wharfe Rural Planning, who are handling the planning aspect of the development, said: 'It is a very straightforward change of use from agricultural to equine.
'Planning encourages the reuse of redundant farm buildings and there are lots of examples of it.
'In this case there are many social benefits and we have been liaising closely with the Council.
'From a local perspective it is quite obvious that those using a bridleway to access an equine centre will be more careful.'
He said that a planning application was expected to be submitted at the end of June.
The plans, he said, would not include a café or any events. They would include 37 stables in a barn, plus four wooden outdoor stables, two wash boxes and a menage measuring 60 metres by 40 metres.
Of the horses, 13 would be for use of the riding school, 13 were owned by Ms Clarke and the remainder would be on 'full livery', meaning full-time care at the yard.
The parish council said that it would reserve its judgement until the plans were formally submitted.
At the heated meeting about the proposal, Mr Irlam is understood to have told residents he had reluctantly split up his estate after being refused planning permission for a dwelling on the site.
He called for everyone to calm down and assured residents that he would never have allowed for anything 'noisy' as it might impinge on the peace of his wedding venue.
Another local resident, who asked not to be named, said: 'Some of those protesting are just rich hypocrites. One of them organised regular polo matches right next to this area which brought both traffic and noise.
'She has a personal menage which is bigger than the one proposed by the riding school.
'They just want the area all for themselves.'
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