Russells Equestrian Centre has been a Southampton-based business for 50 years and for the last decade has resided at a 7.5-acre site at Itchen Valley Country Park – Lower Russell Fields – where the business has leased summer grazing from Eastleigh Borough Council.
The business acts as a horse-riding school as well as a rescue centre for horses to be rehabilitated.
However, just before Christmas staff received a notice from the council, stating they had a five-month notice period before enters into a new licencing agreement to allow “the grazing and walking of around 30 alpacas” on the land.
READ MORE: Eastleigh end of terrace cottage up for sale for £435,000
A horse in the frost pictured at Lower Russell Fields (Image: Supplied) Amanda Winstone, a committee member of the Epona Trust – which works with rescued horses on the site – said: “I can’t stress just how dire this is. It’s like the council has played two businesses off against each other.
“Russells Equestrian Centre do so much work for the community and allow children – some of which have learning difficulties – to interact and spend time with the horses and it’s just lovely to see.
“The riding school licence depends on having a certain acreage of grazing, so if we’re unable to find a suitable site – and there aren’t many options as a lot of green spaces have been taken up by housing – then the whole operation is at risk.
“Other than the initial contact from the council to tell us we have until May before the land is used for something else, we’ve had no communication and that’s frustrating.”
An online petition garnering support to oppose the council’s decision has received more than 1,100 signatures since December 28.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Eastleigh Borough Council said: “The council has entered into a new licence agreement to allow the grazing and walking of around 30 alpacas on the 7.5-acre Lower Russell Fields site at Itchen Valley Country Park.
“This will provide grazing and the opportunity for children and adults to walk alpacas at the park.
“As well as having biodiversity and health and well-being benefits, it will generate income towards the upkeep of the park. There are no plans to build shops on the site.”
They added: “The previous seasonal grazing licence for Russells Equestrian has been issued for many years on a month-to-month basis between May and October, with no commitment in the legal agreement to continue this year-on-year.
“We wrote to Russells Equestrian in December giving them five months’ notice that we would not be renewing the licence this coming May, and the council is continuing to work with Russells Equestrian to look for alternative grazing.”