Saving Mallory Park

[Meakin]

Hi All,

I have received this email from Mallory, If you can attend please do so:

Paul

 

Mallory Park needs YOU!

 

WEDNESDAY 10th July is decision day for the future of Mallory Park and the circuit is calling on all its supporters to come along to Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council to show their support and save the track from closure.

 

The Council is reviewing whether to make Mallory Park reduce its operations to just 92 days per year - forcing the circuit operators BARC to shut the facility as it will not be financially viable.

 

Mallory Park has already reduced its operations by shutting down motocross, stopping drifting and offering to change track day times and maximum number of vehicles on track. It has also ordered a noise expert to provide an independent report and recommendations on how the track can reduce noise to acceptable levels for residents - in agreement with the Council. The Council has however posted its recommendation to reduce use to 92 days per year without taking this into account.

 

A further independent report into the financial impact that closing the circuit will have on the local economy was also commissioned and totally ignored, the Council making its recommendations without taking into account the livelihoods of the people working with and alongside the circuit who now face financial ruin - a real human cost.

 

The report states that the circuit brings more than £10million revenue into the local economy and is responsible for creating145 full time jobs.

 

Mallory Park General Manager John Ward said: "The Council is deciding on the future of Mallory Park and if they agree to reduce the days to 92 then the circuit is finished and will shut down. The 145 jobs and £10million+ benefit to the local economy will be lost, along with a historic motor racing circuit.

 

"The future of the circuit is now in the hands of the HBBC Councillors. We need them to understand we are working to reduce noise and improve life for residents and are committed to being good neighbours. Shutting the circuit is not the right choice. We need as many supporters as possible to join us on the 10th and make that point - Mallory Park is an important contributor and member of the local community."

 

The Council Meeting is Public. It starts at 1830 in the Council Chamber (the De Montfort Suite) at the address below:

 

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council

Hinckley Hub

Rugby Road

Hinckley

Leicestershire

LE10 0FR

 

Mallory Park, the Friendly Circuit, is situated in the heart of the midlands in Leicestershire just off the A47 between Leicester and Hinckley and easily accessible from the M1, M69 or M6. For further directions, please visit www.mallorypark.co.uk.

 

[Paul Gibney - Lancashire AO]

wish i could make it but they have my full support..

[Norman Verona]

Same here. Sounds like typical Councillors, pandering to the voters and ignoring everything else including the economy.

 

Can't the circuit owners get the local press onside?

[Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman]

Same here. Sounds like typical Councillors, pandering to the voters a small minority that shout loudest and no doubt quote green and or 'umanitarian "rights" and ignoring everything else including the economy.

 

Can't the circuit owners get the local press onside?

 Fixed that for you Norman.

 

(Me bitter and twisted! never )

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Same here. Sounds like typical Councillors, pandering to the voters and ignoring everything else including the economy.

 

Can't the circuit owners get the local press onside?

I think you need to read into the history of this before making such sweeping comments. The circuit are in the position they are now because of their own doing and failure to comply with the opperating agreement and licence which was drawn up several years ago.

They've been trying their luck year on year and unfortunately for them it has now come to this.

I would hate to see the loss of Mallory, but I can't help but think that this whole thing could have been avoided.

[Norman Verona]

Now you mention it, Mark, I do remember the report.

However it's still probably true that residents vote and the staff probably don't.

My experience is that councillors will ignore matters when it's a handful of voters but when it gets to a lot they will normally side with the voters.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Now you mention it, Mark, I do remember the report.

However it's still probably true that residents vote and the staff probably don't.

And if they don't then that's their own fault

My experience is that councillors will ignore matters when it's a handful of voters but when it gets to a lot they will normally side with the voters.

regardless of what you may think the councillors have to act within the law.

As i said, this whole situation could have been avoided, and then their future wouldn't be within the hands of a few councillors.

[Norman Verona]

Mark, when I said the staff probably don't vote it was because I make the assumption that not all, if any, live in that borough.

 

I'm not sure there is law involved here, just planning rules, which of course may be law.

 

If there was a will there would be a way. For example if the current owners sold it to someone else who agreed to keep the noise levels and number of track days down I'm sure something could be accommodated.

 

Anyway, with a bit of management changes 92 track days should make a profit.

 

Sounds like both sides want cake and eat it.

 

A mass demonstration from outsiders will not sway Councillors one little bit, in fact it may make them dig in further.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Mark, when I said the staff probably don't vote it was because I make the assumption that not all, if any, live in that borough.

With respect, it's dangerous to make assumptions about things you don't know.

Maybe its better to stick to the facts that are known

[Norman Verona]

Well I think it's a reasonable assumption to make.

 

However if you're so determined to disagree I'll bow to your wisdom.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

 

However if you're so determined to disagree I'll bow to your wisdom.

I'm merely determined that FACTS are reported not idle speculation. Beyond that neither you or I know the home addresses of Mallory Park's Employees :bangshead:

[Nick Algar - Competition Secretary]

Really sorry to hear about Mallory, it is dissapointing from what mark says that hey have not helped themselves. It was very similar at Croft a few years back and they went down to 45 noisey days, yet are still running.

 

It's almost a shame that someone doesn't have a go at Silverstone to really bring this whole issue to the main political parties attention and get something sorted once and for all. As it's crazy that race courses that have been there for years can suddenly start to get attacked for noise. Normally by people who have recently moved into the area      "rant over" 

[Norman Verona]

Mark, this is what I base my assumption on TRAVEL SURVEY

 

The relevant extract is:

 

 

 

How far do people travel to work?

• The average length of a commuting trip increased by 

6%, from 8.2 miles in 1995/97 to 8.7 miles in 2005. 

• Men travel 10.5 miles to work on average, 67% further 

than women (6.3 miles). 

• People living in the most rural areas travel furthest to

work on average (11.3 miles), while those in major cities 

outside London travel the shortest distance on average

(6.5 miles). London residents travel 8.0 miles. 

• People from households in the highest income quintile

travel more than twice as far to work on average (12.3

miles) as those in the lowest income quintile (5.8 miles). 

• The average length of a business trip is 19.4 miles.

 

 

 

Some will be in area, some out of it. I hope you can agree that it would very strange if 100% lived in the area. Whereas all the house owners asking for the track to be closed will be voters as they do live in the area.

 

It's a problem that seems to afflict all our politicians, national and local. They seem to push for policies that will get them re-elected rather than take the view of what's best even if it may be unpopular with their voters.

 

 

 

Nick, not sure it's as simple as that. Mr & Mrs Jones buy a house next to the back straight of a race course. When they buy the house in 1967 there are 6 meetings a year. Now, in 2014 the track is open 3 times a week for track days. They object, and I can't give them wrong.

 

Of course there are some that bought in the past 10 years and if they can get the track closed their house value will go up.

[jeff oakley]

It is down to the way the law works against companies now and smart people can employ the best lawyers to represent them. Castle Combe was forced to reduce noise, as the complainant who had just moved to a nearby village, used the councils own enviromental health officers against their wishes that the circuit be left alone. It has had to change but at the moment survives and works with the locals and the council.

 

Thruxton has a 95 decible limit for track days, which means that only normal road cars get on there. If you know Thruxton it is next to the A303 dual carrigeway which is constantly noisey.

 

Donnington, under the flight path for East Midlands yet they too have a noise limit, which they can only do when the plane has passed a few feet above.

 

People see that their homes will increase in value if it circuit closes and that starts to sway people. Mallory is very complicated and going back into history there was a limit, that was never enforced hence the big surprise when the council enforced it after complaints.

 

Unfortunately, Norman is correct, that the councillors who will vote on this do not take everything into account fully. From my experiance of councillors they are usually those who seek power as they cannot get it through work, or those who are old and want a little job to keep them alert. Neither qualifys them to make decisions which affect so many people, like this one.

 

The decision is already made, the meeting is just a rubber stamp what ever that may be.

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Some will be in area, some out of it. I hope you can agree that it would very strange if 100% lived in the area. Whereas all the house owners asking for the track to be closed will be voters as they do live in the area.

 

 

A persons ability to vote plays no part in this though, In the planning process everybody has the opportunity to make comment, wherever in the country they may be living.

 

This is not a vote or a referendum of the residents on whether the circuit can stay open or not and I also have seen no suggestion from the residents association in the case that they want the circuit to close This began as a Planning Enforcement Case, where the operators of Mallory Park were asked to comply with the original terms and Conditions of their Planning Permission which they have breached by such means as building a motorcross track, running drift days etc etc.