Epsom Farmland Housing Scheme for 110 Homes Refused

Plans to build 110 homes on farmland near Epsom Downs Racecourse have been refused by the local planning committee, following significant opposition from residents, campaigners and the horse racing industry.
Epsom and Ewell Borough Council’s planning committee voted to reject the outline application submitted by developer Fairfax Aspire for land on Langley Vale Road on Thursday, overturning a recommendation from council officers who had backed the scheme.
The proposal drew 364 written objections and an online petition signed by more than 2,000 people. Among the formal objectors was The Jockey Club, which owns Epsom Downs Racecourse and warned the development would pose a serious risk to horses and riders using the nearby training grounds, potentially jeopardising the long-term operations of the horse racing industry in the area.
Ward councillor Steven McCormick raised concerns about road safety, arguing the development would create what he described as a collision corridor between horses and vehicles. Langley Vale Action Group campaigner John Mumford said the environmental and policy grounds for refusal outweighed every justification put forward by the applicant.
Councillor Bernie Froud told the meeting that approving the scheme would cause irreversible harm to a site of nature conservation importance, warning that concreting over the land would destroy it permanently.
Fairfax Aspire had described the site as grey belt land and argued that significant benefits the development would bring outweighed any potential harms. The developer also said design measures could be incorporated to limit impact on the surrounding green belt, and that any increase in vehicle movements would not be material. A visual impact survey submitted as part of the application concluded that a sensitively designed development could be achieved on the site.
Council officers had similarly concluded in their report to the committee that the scheme was highly unlikely to cause sufficient harm to equestrian users to prompt them to relocate, a position the planning committee ultimately chose not to accept.
The application has been refused at outline stage, meaning detailed designs were not yet under consideration.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​