Christopher Heneage Farms have betrayed the local community and ignored the objections of the Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service, Natural England and the Bristish Horse Society.
During 2024 Christopher Heneneage continued to ignore advice from Natural England and the Wolds Countryside Service and got permission for a series of planning ammendments that made this project substanially worse - for what was effectively a rubber-stamping application these changes nearly got refused - the highlight of the meeting being: "Coun Terry Knowles (Independent) was told by the chair to “behave” after he declared that he was “absolutely astounded” as to how the Wolds Cycle Park was approved in the first place."
By proceeding with this planning project the applicant shows how little they care for the heritage of the area or the wishes of the residents of South Willingham.
We urge any would-be sponsors or investors to read the planning history of this project - the vast majority of residents object to it and the statutory bodies most concerned with the well being of the Wolds AONB all OBJECT to it. Association with this project will make you part of a very unpopular development.
Focus rides again demonstrated a lack of commmercial justification for this project in 2024 - no one in business can make head nor tail of how on earth this venture could succeed - businesses in the locality are already struggling to recruit staff and the access from population centres is awful
And mountain bike riders? "That park (Wolds Cycle Park) looks dull and uninteresting - Sherwood Pines is close and SO MUCH BETTER"
See https://publicaccess.e-lindsey.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=_EASTL_DCAPR_135908&filterType=documentType&documentType=Consultee%20Comment&resetFilter=false for the full background.
See https://woldsbikepark.wordpress.com/2024/10/07/so-as-2024-draws-to-a-close-an-update/ for the latest notes...
Don't Let Greed Ruin Our Wolds
The Lincolnshire Wolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) - protected under law and part of this county's rare and diminishing historic environment. The proposed bike park received planning permission against the wishes of the local community AND the advice of the local and national environmental statutory bodies.
The granting of planning permission highlighted how East Lindsey District Council are totally in thrall to the interests of local major landowners. ELDC ignored both local democracy (the huge majority in the area objecting) AND the advice of their own statutory body, Lincolnshire Wolds Countryside Service as well as the national advisory body, Natural England.
We suggest that all potential backers and sponsors carry out DUE DILIGENCE on both the applicant and the site operator FOCUS RIDES. Neither have ever run a bike park and Focus Rides carried out construction work on a previous, FAILED Wolds bike park without ANY planning permission - involvement with this project is NOT A GOOD IDEA.
See https://woldsbikepark.wordpress.com/2024/10/07/so-as-2024-draws-to-a-close-an-update/ for the Protest Group page latest