Is Mallory Park Circuit In Danger?

[retrolegends]

Not been on RR for a while due to work so forgive me if someone has already mentioned this but

www.bikesportnews.com/news-detail.cfm?newstitle=Mallory-Park-in-%C2%A38m-housing-deal-with-large-developer&newsid=8775

I only picked up on this news yesterday and all I know is that the proposed council meeting scheduled for last night was postponed and that the Moto X circuit is already being dismantled, so can anyone shed any light on this?

[Mystery Machine]

FAKE!

It's not for sale and the council meeting was called to discuss noise/use of the site...nothing to do with it being sold.

I recall reading somewhere that the owner stated £8m wouldn't even be enough for the deposit.

[edit] www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/newsresults/General-news/2013/March/mar0513-uncomfirmed-reports-mallory-park-sold/ [/edit]

[MrSpeedy]

Unfortunately Mallory Park has a long history of NIMBY's trying to restrict use. I virtually grew up at Mallory (used to live in the next village) and there was always some meeting or other, usually by the 'new money' that bought new build houses to get away from their city lives and seemedly hell bent on closing down the circuit because it 'disturbed' their Sunday afternoons.

You would've thought that moving within 2 miles of an active race circuit that they would've expected some noise, but apparently not!
Personally I used to love the fact I could hear the racing from home!

(As a side note, my Dad built and erected the old 'Lucas' starting gantry and I helped him erect the pair of steel gates at the top behing the 'bus stop' when I was a kid)

[retrolegends]

That sounds a bit better then MM, I had read that Chris Meek would sell if the number of races was reduced as it would not be viable to operate the circuit, also Barratt Homes (previously David Wilson) are buying up any land around NW Leicestershire that they can so it all seemed to ring true.
Why has the Moto X track been removed then? Noise complaints?

[MrSpeedy]

Here's the news I saw on Facebook (yes, I know) from one of the track day companies

[PhoenixCapri]

Thank goodness for that, doing a track day there in a couple of weeks and the thread title got me worried. Would be a huge loss as it's a great track, one of the best as a spectator.

[retrolegends]

Mar 6, 2013 18:35:21 GMT PhoenixCapri said:

Thank goodness for that, doing a track day there in a couple of weeks and the thread title got me worried. Would be a huge loss as it's a great track, one of the best as a spectator.

Changed the title of the thread (sorry to put the frighteners on you).

[mdh]

Same things happen at Brands....nimbys move in and start whining about a race track that's been there 60+ years. Tossers.

[j4mes]

If I was the owner I'd do exactly what I bet has been done here, i.e release certain info to the media:- if you were a NIMBY whats worse than a race track on your doorstep? Probably 2200 brand new homes!

Excellent use of the sensationalist media!

[jules1200]

Mar 6, 2013 18:09:47 GMT MrSpeedy said:

Unfortunately Mallory Park has a long history of NIMBY's trying to restrict use. I virtually grew up at Mallory (used to live in the next village) and there was always some meeting or other, usually by the 'new money' that bought new build houses to get away from their city lives and seemedly hell bent on closing down the circuit because it 'disturbed' their Sunday afternoons.

You would've thought that moving within 2 miles of an active race circuit that they would've expected some noise, but apparently not!
Personally I used to love the fact I could hear the racing from home!

(As a side note, my Dad built and erected the old 'Lucas' starting gantry and I helped him erect the pair of steel gates at the top behing the 'bus stop' when I was a kid)

Bang on there buddy, I used to marshall it in the early 90's, same old issues then.
I remember vividly they had to get special permission just to start up the old Honda Six motorcycle because it was 'a bit loud'.
It's like buying a house next to an airport then bleeting about aeroplane noise!

[colnerov]

[It's like buying a house next to an airport then bleeting about aeroplane noise!]

Didn't stop the bloke over the road from me!! I kid you not.

Colin

[Garry]

There's a lot of misinformation going around about it, see the posts above saying its new residents to the village complaining. That is wrong. To put some of this into perspective, it does seem that there has been an issue more recently with noise levels being too high. The complaints are not coming from newbies to the area but from people who have lived there for a while and noticed a rise in the number of occassions that the circuit has broken its pretty generous decibel limits. Not to take sides but the posts made over Facebook and Twitter has been a little inflammatory and the whole story is a lot less black and white than it seems.

Read this: www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/press/article/1270/mallory_park

And specifically these parts that it says:

- A large number of those village residents who have complained/raised concerns have lived in the village for many years. It is not a case of a small number of 'newbies' making a fuss! The complaints have been made legitimately in relation to an existing Statutory Notice

-The council has been attempting to secure an agreed way forward with MPML for well over a year, the last eight months with my direct involvement, and has been unable to do so. Such an agreement, incorporated into a new Notice, should prevent the need for legal action, which costs money and time and has no certainty of securing an outcome satisfactory to all. Having said that, we had no option to begin enforcement action in August last year and this is progressing through the courts now. I do accept that this has been too long a process and that the enforcement should have begun sooner. However, my belief is that we would still have been in this potential position of deadlock at some point; although it would have been some six months earlier.

-Whilst I have been inundated with e-mails from people supporting the continued operation of the track (and can sympathise with their view), I must give some priority to the views of those people who live in the village, who are directly affected on a daily basis

-The council does not intend any of its actions to result in the closure of Mallory Park; that will be a commercial decision for MPML, but we do expect that they work towards the noise control legitimately requested by local residents, none of whom would want the circuit to close

-The council has no confirmed knowledge of any sale of the site for housing or other purpose

-Neither the council nor MPML condone any threats of or actual intimidation, about which we have been made aware in recent days. Such activities are few in number, but of concern to the individuals involved , wholly unwarranted and against people who hold genuine views, which must be given proper airing and consideration"

So basically, Mallory can do something about the problem (I personally feel its the MX track, didn't know its being closed (if true)), but for now, the risk is being blown out of proportion by people who don't really know the facts.

Anyway, to keep it retro, have a few shots from Mallory.

[MrSpeedy]

Thanks for that Garry
It's good to have some actual insider knowledge about the situation
I jumped to the obvious (wrong) conclusion based on the history of the place.

I believe Mallory has always struggled to 'make it pay' and as such has looked for other sources of income, it seems they may have overstepped the mark a little.

I hold a lot of feelings for Mallory Park as I have kinda grown up there, it was my first live motorsport venue, and also provided work for my Dad in years gone by. (both at the circuit and repairing bikes on a race day) Not to mention the first RRG I attended with my Sprintfire. This may bias my views a little, but I guess we all do that from time to time.

Many good memories of 'The Family Circuit' and long may it continue

Does anyone have any pictures from the one and only time they held truck racing there? I've never been able to find any and it was one of the best motorsport days out I've ever had!
I can still see the lumps of tarmac being thrown up now! lmao