Fylde wind farm plans could see vital horse riding centre close for good

A 'lifeline' horse riding centre could be forced to close if controversial wind farm plans go ahead - despite offering a place of solace for many.

In the Fylde, a 'cable corridor' described as being 'wider than the M55' could be built through the area, from the Irish Sea and to an existing electricity substation in Penwortham. From the Irish Sea, two proposed wind farms could be built in the name of providing green energy for the future.

Behind the plans are Morgan and Morecambe, in collaboration with BP - but locals, business owners and landowners aren't happy about the plans. Although no one opposes the use and need for green energy, many are opposing the methods of achieving it.

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Two substations in Newton and Kirkham are proposed to be built, one of which could be the size of 13 football pitches and over 23 metres in height. Opened 43 years ago, Wrea Green Equitation Centre (WGEC) has been dubbed a "lifeline" for children and adults alike who have seen generations of families visiting to learn to ride horses.

Whether this is purely a hobby or as a means for alternative education, WGEC is an institution of the area and the baby of its owner, Chris Pollitt. She says the centre will have to shut if plans go ahead and a compound is built in a field next door to WGEC, as the animals are her priority and disruption on this scale would have a huge and detrimental impact.

As tensions grow surrounding the wind farm plans and diggers move in, visitors to the horse riding centre are growing increasingly concerned.

Jackie and Simon Eagles have recently become acquainted with WGEC after returning to the UK from Germany in August 2023. Having lived in Munich for five years, the couple made the move after Jackie lost her eyesight in February 2023.

On whether Jackie expected to lose her sight, she said her eyesight was gradually going over a period of three months and in reality, it had "never been perfect". She added: "We were hoping not.

"I went through four operations in two weeks in Germany. It culminated into a horrendous one which I won't go into, it's not very nice.

"We were hoping that certainly within five to six months they would recover, but they never did. So I ended up with an artificial cornea and some work on the retina, but it's too far gone.

"So a new lease of life I suppose you could call it, a new way of life definitely."

Jackie accidentally stumbled across the riding centre, after her sister enquired about its benefits to someone in the local area. From then, she hasn't looked back. She explained: "My sister was talking to a lady on the green [Lytham Green] with her dog, she said she horse rides and asked where she goes. She said my sister's blind, or severely visually impaired which is the new phrase and said where would you go?

"She said to go here, Wrea Green Equitation Centre and she said that's fantastic. So we came and had a talk in the office and got booked in."

Visibly emotional about how Wrea Green has given her a new lease of life, Jackie fought back tears as she explained the role of WGEC in her new life. She said: "It's just something I can do by myself, because you lose your independence."

Jackie says she has been horse riding in the past, but this was around 30 years ago and had to relearn how to go about it, but this time with a very different and new struggle.

She added: "Sometimes I forget I can't see when I'm on the horse. It's just because I'm concentrating so much."

Jenny and Peter Gleave's garden backs onto the field where the development is proposed to happen. Jenny said: "Our main concern is the riding school, because they're so good here with the riding for the disabled.

"Christine is marvellous, so that's the main worry. But we don't want the farmland destroyed, which it will be if they dig down and remove the top soil.

"This field in particular is very very good for silage making and as a grazing field as well."

Peter said: "We need to support the smaller people like the riding school. We need to make sure their voice is heard and they don't have to close their business.

"It would be terrible. Princess Anne was here not long ago and she wouldn't have come here if it had been a tin pot outfit. I think it's important to bring influence here to get the best possible outcome, whatever that might be."

Jenny and Peter have lived in their property since 1976 and are more concerned about the riding school, but fear it could create a lot of unwanted noise and a disturbance. Peter added they purchase the house for the "peace and tranquility which might not exist shortly."

A spokesperson from Morgan and Morecambe said: "The Morgan Offshore Wind Project and the Morecambe Offshore Windfarm are two proposed offshore wind farms being developed in the Irish Sea. The two offshore wind farms intend to make an important contribution to the UK's target of generating 50GW of power from offshore wind by 2030. Combined they have the potential to generate almost 2GW of electricity - enough to power the equivalent of around two million homes.

"Since 2022, our project teams have held three rounds of consultation (both non-statutory and statutory) and we recognise that public consultation is a vital process, which gives the local community an opportunity to review our proposals, ask us questions and provide their feedback.

"All feedback we have received has been considered to date and helped inform our design process.

"We understand there are local concerns, and these will be addressed in due course. We intend to provide a further update on our plans over the coming months, before we submit our application, later in the year."