258:
illegal... English Nature objected to the planned carving when it was first proposed because it said the hill was a Site of
Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). After a public inquiry in April 2001, the then secretary of state Stephen Byers ruled the project could go ahead. The work, scheduled to start in April this year, was put back to June because the Gurkhas who are to be involved in carving the figure were needed to cover the firefighters' strike. Folkestone and Hythe District Council has just chosen the White Horse as its new corporate logo — and so faces potential embarrassment if the project is halted.
469:
granted an approval likely to ...seriously adversely affect the integrity of a Site of
Community Importance containing priority habitat, in breach of ..." . The "formal notice" represents the first step in the European Commission's infraction process against member states, for failure to uphold EU law. The UK Government now has two months to explain its position or rectify its failure. If, after this period, the Commission remains unsatisfied, it may issue a "Reasoned Opinion" and then proceed with the case to the European Court of Justice.
570:
293:
was proposed as a millennium project to help regenerate the
Folkestone area... Craig Bennett, of Friends of the Earth, said the site was designated for its conservation importance under the European Habitats Directive (1994)... Announcing his decision to approve the project, Mr Byers said the emotional and symbolic value of the white horse outweighed the damage which would be done to nature
95:, who adopted it as their corporate logo. Due to the opposition, the project went to a public enquiry in 2001. The project was given the go-ahead in March 2002 by Stephen Byers, then Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, who stated that the emotional and symbolic value of the project outweighed the possible environmental damage.
212:
Stephen Byers, who was then
Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. If it fails to do so and the site cannot be restored, it may be liable for fines from the European Court of Justice... The latest version was chosen by the local artist Charlie Newington because of a nearby
468:
In its letter to
Friends of the Earth, the Commission outlines how it has now "...sent a letter of formal notice to the United Kingdom Government in connection with its failure to ensure that the requirements ...were met with regard to the proposed development". It goes on to say that "...the UK has
211:
At daybreak tomorrow a dozen Gurkha soldiers bearing limestone slabs will put the final touches on a giant white horse cut into a hill overlooking the
English Channel... As a result of a complaint by Friends of the Earth, the Government was asked by Brussels to explain the approval given in 2001 by
292:
Based on the tradition of chalk carvings dating back to ancient Celtic times, the idea is to leave a lasting reminder of
England to travellers leaving for the continent... shadow chancellor Michael Howard... ... that the project had "widespread support" in Folkestone... The 300ft long chalk horse
257:
The white horse is due to be carved into
Cheriton Hill, near Folkestone, next month as a Millennium Landmark... A spokesman for the party said Mr Armstrong-Braun had now received a letter from the Commission, telling him Cheriton Hill had been awarded protected status which would make the project
383:
This is the question
English Nature wants Folkestone and Hythe District Council to consider when it meets on Tuesday (4 August) to decide whether or not to approve proposals to carve a galloping white horse into the chalk hillside above Folkestone in Kent...the site chosen just happens to be one
438:
A huge carving of a white horse on a wildlife site in Kent is illegal, says the
European Commission. It is understood to have issued a formal notice to the UK Government for giving the go ahead to the white horse on a hillside near Folkestone. The intervention of the EC came after complaints by
98:
Construction of the horse began in September 2002. The work to build the horse was completed entirely by hand. Directed from afar by the artist via radio, a team of volunteers staked out a second canvas template of the horse, and following this, shallow trenches were then dug into the topsoil,
122:. In early May 2003 the EU issued a formal notice to the UK Government declaring the work illegal, and giving the government two months to either explain the 2001 enquiry decision satisfactorily, or restore the site, by which time the turf for the horse had already been cut and transplanted.
22:
63:
The horse was planned as a Millennium Landmark to help regenerate the Folkestone area. The design for the horse was drawn by a local artist, Charlie Newington, inspired by a nearby Iron Age fort in an area known as Horse Hill dating from three millennia ago and also based on the
129:
soldiers transported, cut and positioned limestone slabs in the trenches, fixing them in place with pins. The limestone laying phase of the construction, which had been delayed when the Gurkhas were needed to crew fire engines during the
216:
fort in an area known three millennia ago as Horse Hill. The horse is at the centre of a rebranding exercise by the Folkestone and Hythe District Council. The logo is on council stationery and will soon be on all council
320:
1189:
1056:
68:. It is the first official hill figure in the town, although an area of chalk on Summerhouse Hill is said to resemble an elephant's head and has become known as the Folkestone Elephant.
1106:
384:
England's most important wildlife sites. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a European candidate Special Area of Conservation because of its orchid-rich grasslands
995:
867:
327:
1174:
137:
In June 2004 "The Friends of the Folkestone White Horse" was formed, to promote the landmark and look after the site, which requires periodic light weeding. A
670:
352:
773:
1184:
92:
1035:
516:
131:
823:
908:
80:
1061:
934:
929:
790:
705:
1169:
1159:
862:
939:
924:
680:
846:
198:
155:
888:
119:
990:
439:
Friends of the Earth and the Green Party that the work was damaging one of Europe's most important wildlife sites.
409:
Rory committed the Council's support for Folkestone's White Horse. He adopted the white horse logo for the Council
883:
509:
816:
753:
584:
451:
65:
975:
1164:
970:
758:
700:
624:
619:
589:
544:
167:
644:
629:
1022:
87:, although the project was said to have widespread public support by local MP and prominent politician
1066:
980:
649:
594:
502:
455:
111:
569:
103:
slabs. The entire figure is approximately 90 metres long, measured from the front to the rear hoof.
1179:
1154:
1087:
809:
614:
609:
599:
396:
161:
21:
954:
903:
893:
695:
639:
634:
53:
763:
743:
539:
346:
71:
Planning permission for the project was first applied for in April 1998, with an illustrative
1082:
1040:
748:
306:
107:
397:"Cllr Rory Love, Folkestone and Hythe District Councillor for Harvey West Ward, About Rory"
1029:
985:
710:
489:
366:
75:
mockup being erected in August 1999. The project was opposed by the Government watchdog
949:
778:
665:
370:
115:
88:
76:
57:
421:
240:
1148:
685:
554:
84:
41:
134:, was completed in early June 2003, with the formal notice from the EU outstanding.
16:
White horse hill figure, carved in 2003 into Cheriton Hill, Kent, South East England
944:
690:
675:
549:
483:
138:
275:
525:
150:
37:
1092:
832:
783:
559:
45:
1122:
1108:
99:
12–24 inches (30–60 cm) wide. These trenches were then filled with
1005:
898:
100:
736:
731:
726:
425:
279:
244:
213:
125:
Over two weeks in May 2003 a team of volunteers including locally based
768:
126:
72:
34:
20:
49:
805:
498:
494:
158:, a standing white horse sculpture planned for Ebbsfleet, Kent
801:
118:
to stop the project based on the site's protection under the
83:. In 2000 English Nature appealed to Deputy Prime Minister
1190:
Buildings and structures celebrating the third millennium
1057:
1934 Hillman's Airways de Havilland Dragon Rapide crash
996:
Folkestone & Hythe Operatic & Dramatic Society
199:"Sign of the White Horse and a Brussels cliffhanger"
1075:
1049:
1014:
963:
917:
876:
855:
839:
719:
658:
577:
532:
192:
190:
188:
186:
184:
182:
367:"Millennium Threat to Important Wildlife Site"
817:
510:
8:
490:Information about the Folkestone White Horse
270:
268:
266:
235:
233:
231:
229:
227:
225:
452:"Giant white horse illegal claims brussels"
56:. It overlooks the English terminal of the
824:
810:
802:
517:
503:
495:
164:, the prancing white horse symbol of Kent
141:was buried on the site on 18 June 2004.
399:. www.lewesneedslove.dsl.pipex.com. n.d
178:
93:Folkestone & Hythe District Council
1175:White horses (hill figures) in England
351:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
344:
1036:KMFM Shepway and White Cliffs Country
484:Friends of the Folkestone White Horse
7:
422:"Europe says UK white horse illegal"
81:Site of Special Scientific Interest
1062:1954 Swissair Convair CV-240 crash
935:Folkestone Harbour railway station
930:Folkestone Central railway station
79:due to the site's importance as a
14:
868:Folkestone and Hythe constituency
706:South San Francisco hillside sign
568:
276:"Chalk horse for entrance to UK"
60:and was completed in June 2003.
940:Folkestone East railway station
925:Folkestone West railway station
863:Folkestone & Hythe District
681:Effigy Mounds National Monument
91:. The project was supported by
1185:2003 establishments in England
847:List of people from Folkestone
197:Beard, Matthew (3 June 2003).
1:
909:University Centre Folkestone
156:The White Horse at Ebbsfleet
889:Folkestone School for Girls
307:"Natural and Misc. Figures"
241:"White horse may be halted"
120:European Habitats Directive
1206:
671:Battle of Britain Memorial
132:2002–2003 Firemen's strike
25:The Folkestone White Horse
884:The Harvey Grammar School
791:Hill figures in Wiltshire
566:
201:. London: The Independent
976:Folkestone Sports Centre
585:Alton Barnes White Horse
66:White Horse of Uffington
1170:Hill figures in England
1160:Protected areas of Kent
971:Folkestone Invicta F.C.
964:Sport, arts and leisure
701:Shoreham Memorial Cross
625:Marlborough White Horse
151:Hill figures of England
1134:Folkestone white horse
1123:51.101208°N 1.139708°E
1001:Folkestone White Horse
620:Litlington White Horse
605:Folkestone White Horse
590:Broad Town White Horse
545:Long Man of Wilmington
168:Litlington White Horse
31:Folkestone White Horse
26:
645:Uffington White Horse
630:Osmington White Horse
24:
1067:2007 Kent earthquake
981:Folkestone Triennial
650:Westbury White Horse
595:Cherhill White Horse
456:Friends of the Earth
112:Friends of the Earth
1128:51.101208; 1.139708
1118: /
615:Kilburn White Horse
610:Hackpen White Horse
600:Devizes White Horse
162:White horse of Kent
955:Folkestone Harbour
904:Turner Free School
894:Folkestone Academy
696:Paracas Candelabra
640:Red Horse of Tysoe
635:Pewsey White Horse
333:on 19 October 2016
54:South East England
27:
1101:
1100:
1050:Historical events
1023:Folkestone Herald
799:
798:
540:Cerne Abbas Giant
454:(Press release).
369:(Press release).
1197:
1142:
1141:
1139:
1138:
1137:
1135:
1130:
1129:
1124:
1119:
1116:
1115:
1114:
1111:
1083:Boulogne-sur-Mer
1041:Radio Folkestone
826:
819:
812:
803:
749:Hillside letters
744:White Horse Flag
572:
519:
512:
505:
496:
472:
471:
465:
463:
448:
442:
441:
435:
433:
418:
412:
411:
406:
404:
393:
387:
386:
380:
378:
363:
357:
356:
350:
342:
340:
338:
332:
326:. Archived from
325:
317:
311:
310:
302:
296:
295:
289:
287:
272:
261:
260:
254:
252:
237:
220:
219:
208:
206:
194:
114:appealed to the
1205:
1204:
1200:
1199:
1198:
1196:
1195:
1194:
1145:
1144:
1133:
1131:
1127:
1125:
1121:
1120:
1117:
1112:
1109:
1107:
1105:
1104:
1102:
1097:
1071:
1045:
1030:Kentish Express
1010:
986:Leas Cliff Hall
959:
913:
872:
851:
835:
830:
800:
795:
715:
711:Whiteleaf Cross
654:
573:
564:
528:
523:
480:
475:
461:
459:
450:
449:
445:
431:
429:
420:
419:
415:
402:
400:
395:
394:
390:
376:
374:
365:
364:
360:
343:
336:
334:
330:
323:
321:"Archived copy"
319:
318:
314:
304:
303:
299:
285:
283:
282:. 28 March 2002
274:
273:
264:
250:
248:
239:
238:
223:
204:
202:
196:
195:
180:
176:
147:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1203:
1201:
1193:
1192:
1187:
1182:
1177:
1172:
1167:
1165:Channel Tunnel
1162:
1157:
1147:
1146:
1099:
1098:
1096:
1095:
1090:
1085:
1079:
1077:
1073:
1072:
1070:
1069:
1064:
1059:
1053:
1051:
1047:
1046:
1044:
1043:
1038:
1033:
1026:
1018:
1016:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1008:
1003:
998:
993:
988:
983:
978:
973:
967:
965:
961:
960:
958:
957:
952:
950:Channel Tunnel
947:
942:
937:
932:
927:
921:
919:
915:
914:
912:
911:
906:
901:
896:
891:
886:
880:
878:
874:
873:
871:
870:
865:
859:
857:
853:
852:
850:
849:
843:
841:
837:
836:
831:
829:
828:
821:
814:
806:
797:
796:
794:
793:
788:
787:
786:
781:
779:Platte Mound M
776:
771:
766:
761:
756:
746:
741:
740:
739:
734:
723:
721:
717:
716:
714:
713:
708:
703:
698:
693:
688:
683:
678:
673:
668:
666:Battalion Park
662:
660:
656:
655:
653:
652:
647:
642:
637:
632:
627:
622:
617:
612:
607:
602:
597:
592:
587:
581:
579:
575:
574:
567:
565:
563:
562:
557:
552:
547:
542:
536:
534:
530:
529:
524:
522:
521:
514:
507:
499:
493:
492:
487:
479:
478:External links
476:
474:
473:
443:
413:
388:
373:. 31 July 1998
371:English Nature
358:
312:
297:
262:
221:
177:
175:
172:
171:
170:
165:
159:
153:
146:
143:
116:European Union
89:Michael Howard
77:English Nature
58:Channel Tunnel
40:, carved into
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1202:
1191:
1188:
1186:
1183:
1181:
1178:
1176:
1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
1156:
1153:
1152:
1150:
1143:
1140:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1084:
1081:
1080:
1078:
1074:
1068:
1065:
1063:
1060:
1058:
1055:
1054:
1052:
1048:
1042:
1039:
1037:
1034:
1032:
1031:
1027:
1025:
1024:
1020:
1019:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1004:
1002:
999:
997:
994:
992:
991:Tower Theatre
989:
987:
984:
982:
979:
977:
974:
972:
969:
968:
966:
962:
956:
953:
951:
948:
946:
943:
941:
938:
936:
933:
931:
928:
926:
923:
922:
920:
916:
910:
907:
905:
902:
900:
897:
895:
892:
890:
887:
885:
882:
881:
879:
875:
869:
866:
864:
861:
860:
858:
854:
848:
845:
844:
842:
838:
834:
827:
822:
820:
815:
813:
808:
807:
804:
792:
789:
785:
782:
780:
777:
775:
772:
770:
767:
765:
762:
760:
757:
755:
752:
751:
750:
747:
745:
742:
738:
735:
733:
730:
729:
728:
725:
724:
722:
718:
712:
709:
707:
704:
702:
699:
697:
694:
692:
689:
687:
686:Fovant Badges
684:
682:
679:
677:
674:
672:
669:
667:
664:
663:
661:
657:
651:
648:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
631:
628:
626:
623:
621:
618:
616:
613:
611:
608:
606:
603:
601:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
586:
583:
582:
580:
576:
571:
561:
558:
556:
555:Atacama Giant
553:
551:
548:
546:
543:
541:
538:
537:
535:
531:
527:
520:
515:
513:
508:
506:
501:
500:
497:
491:
488:
486:official site
485:
482:
481:
477:
470:
458:. 13 May 2003
457:
453:
447:
444:
440:
428:. 13 May 2003
427:
423:
417:
414:
410:
398:
392:
389:
385:
372:
368:
362:
359:
354:
348:
329:
322:
316:
313:
308:
301:
298:
294:
281:
277:
271:
269:
267:
263:
259:
246:
242:
236:
234:
232:
230:
228:
226:
222:
218:
215:
200:
193:
191:
189:
187:
185:
183:
179:
173:
169:
166:
163:
160:
157:
154:
152:
149:
148:
144:
142:
140:
135:
133:
128:
123:
121:
117:
113:
109:
104:
102:
96:
94:
90:
86:
85:John Prescott
82:
78:
74:
69:
67:
61:
59:
55:
51:
47:
43:
42:Cheriton Hill
39:
36:
32:
23:
19:
1103:
1028:
1021:
1000:
945:M20 motorway
691:Lenham Cross
676:Bulford Kiwi
604:
526:Hill figures
467:
460:. Retrieved
446:
437:
430:. Retrieved
416:
408:
401:. Retrieved
391:
382:
375:. Retrieved
361:
335:. Retrieved
328:the original
315:
305:Hows, Mark.
300:
291:
284:. Retrieved
256:
249:. Retrieved
247:. 8 May 2003
210:
203:. Retrieved
139:time capsule
136:
124:
105:
97:
70:
62:
30:
28:
18:
1126: /
764:The Big "C"
720:Related art
462:10 February
432:10 February
403:10 February
377:10 February
286:10 February
251:10 February
205:10 February
108:Green Party
38:hill figure
33:is a white
1180:2003 works
1155:Folkestone
1149:Categories
1132: (
1110:51°06′04″N
1088:Middelburg
1076:Twin towns
833:Folkestone
784:Y Mountain
560:Marree Man
550:Firle Corn
337:14 October
174:References
46:Folkestone
1113:1°08′23″E
1006:Leas Lift
918:Transport
899:K College
877:Education
856:Political
217:vehicles.
106:Both the
101:limestone
737:Land art
732:Rock art
727:Geoglyph
533:Humanoid
426:BBC News
347:cite web
280:BBC News
245:BBC News
214:Iron Age
145:See also
1093:Étaples
774:The "P"
769:Block U
759:The "A"
840:People
578:Horses
127:Gurkha
73:canvas
1015:Media
659:Other
331:(PDF)
324:(PDF)
35:horse
754:List
464:2009
434:2009
405:2009
379:2009
353:link
339:2016
288:2009
253:2009
207:2009
110:and
50:Kent
29:The
1151::
466:.
436:.
424:.
407:.
381:.
349:}}
345:{{
290:.
278:.
265:^
255:.
243:.
224:^
209:.
181:^
52:,
48:,
44:,
1136:)
825:e
818:t
811:v
518:e
511:t
504:v
355:)
341:.
309:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
