Licensing application, inspections, and reports for Broadhill Stables in Soham
Request received 17 August 2026
I am writing to make a request for information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 concerning Broadhill Stables / Broadhill Farm, Northfield Road, Soham, Cambridgeshire, and the commercial equine business operated from those premises.
I understand that the business has operated as a horse sales and sales-livery establishment, including taking horses on sales livery, caring for and exercising horses, advertising horses for sale and arranging sales and trials with prospective purchasers.
I would be grateful if you could provide the following information:
1.
Animal Activities Licences
Please confirm whether Broadhill Stables, the operator of Broadhill Stables, or any business operating from Broadhill Farm has held an Animal Activities Licence issued by East Cambridgeshire District Council at any time between 1 January 2020 and the present date.
If so, please provide:
• The name under which the licence was held.
• The activity or activities for which it was licensed.
• The dates each licence was valid.
• Any star rating awarded.
• Copies of the licences, where disclosure is permitted.
2. Inspections
Please provide details of any inspections undertaken by East Cambridgeshire District Council relating to animal welfare or animal licensing at Broadhill Stables/Broadhill Farm between 1 January 2020 and the present date.
For each inspection, please provide, where recorded and disclosable:
• Date of inspection.
• Reason for inspection, for example routine licensing inspection, renewal, complaint or other reason.
• Type of officer/person carrying out the inspection, including whether a veterinary surgeon was involved.
• Outcome of the inspection.
• Any recommendations, improvement requirements, warnings or enforcement action resulting from it.
Where possible, I would also be grateful for copies of inspection reports, with personal information redacted where necessary.
3. Animal welfare complaints
Please confirm the number of complaints or reports received by the Council between 1 January 2020 and the present date concerning the welfare, care or condition of horses at Broadhill Stables/Broadhill Farm.
I am not requesting the identities or personal information of complainants.
Where the information is held, please provide:
• Date/year of each complaint.
• General category/nature of the welfare concern.
• Whether the Council investigated.
• Whether an inspection or visit resulted.
• The outcome or action taken.
4. Licensing status of the commercial horse-sales activity
Please provide any recorded information held by the Council concerning whether the commercial activity of selling horses and/or operating a sales-livery business from Broadhill Stables was considered to fall within any activity requiring an Animal Activities Licence, including under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
This includes any correspondence, internal guidance, assessment, licensing determination or other recorded information relating specifically to the licensing status of the horse-sales or sales-livery activity at these premises.
If the Council determined that no Animal Activities Licence was required for these activities, please provide any recorded information explaining the basis for that determination.
5. Other regulatory involvement
Please provide details of any other animal-welfare regulatory or enforcement involvement by East Cambridgeshire District Council concerning horses kept at Broadhill Stables/Broadhill Farm during the same period, insofar as this information is held and can lawfully be disclosed.
Responded 19 August 2026
1. The premises has never held an animal welfare licence with the Council.
2. No inspections have been carried out.
3. The Council has had no complaints regarding the premises.
4. The Council has no previous correspondence, assessment or other information regarding the premise.
Premises used for ‘horse sales and sales-livery establishment’ would not require an animal welfare licence under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Premises would require a ‘hiring of horses’ licence if they provided horses for riding or instruction for riding.
Premises would require a pet shop licence if they were selling animals to be kept, or resold, as pets.
Horses are considered livestock and would not be considered pets, and therefore their sale does not require a pet shop licence.
The business you have described does not appear to fall under any of the licensable activities.
5. The Council has no involvement with or regarding the premise.