Cadwell Park could host Formula 3 and GT Racing after £6m revamp plan
Cadwell Park could become one of the country's most impressive race circuits.
The Echo can reveal the famous Lincolnshire venue will undergo a multi-million-pound revamp – as long as an agreement can be made with nearby landowners.
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Plan: The proposed revamp would include a track extension and new grandstands. Pictures: Anna Draper
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
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Iconic track: Cadwell Park attracts 100,000 visitors to the August Bank Holiday round of the British Superbikes Championship, but the circuit is too narrow for high-level car racing
It is believed the dated site will receive a timely boost with a £6 million track extension, new grandstands, new pits, better dining facilities, a hotel and museum.
MotorSport Vision, who own the track, will fund the project. Parts of the track will need to be widened in order to stage Formula 3 and GT Racing events.
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Lincolnshire County Council is planning to build a new motor technology park on a large plot of land just north of the circuit, off the A153.
The Crown Estate is currently leasing the land to a local farmer, but county Councillor Eddy Poll, executive member for economic development, is hopeful a deal can be struck.
He said: "Proposals for the Cadwell Motor Technology Park are still in the very early stages. This is an excellent project and we want to make sure it's carried out in a way that has minimal impact on the landscape of the Lincolnshire Wolds – an area of outstanding natural beauty.
"That means careful planning, which will take time.
"Our ultimate goal is to develop something similar to what has been achieved around Silverstone, albeit on a smaller scale.
"We will be seeking to create infrastructure and facilities that will attract new companies to the area, bringing employment opportunities.
"It's envisioned that these will predominantly be new start-up or spin-off businesses in the motor and transportation technology sector."
Neither MotorSport Vision or the local authority could disclose when they hoped work would be completed.
If given the go-ahead, the development would generate hundreds of new jobs in the county.
"This project has enormous potential," Mr Poll said.
"The grandstands are currently made up of old wooden seats and it really is out of date. The British Superbikes Championship is by far the biggest sporting event in the county.
"In terms of facilities, the venue is lacking some real basics, but this development could make it one of the best in the country."
Both the local authority and MotorSport Vision are keen to retain all environmental features.
The Echo understands a running track and walking path will be created around the project for those wishing to take part in cross-country or walk their dogs.
Comments
by Wombler2012
Sunday, June 03 2012, 2:03PM
“Cadwell has a unique, tradtional chararacter and is in a beautiful setting, this is what makes it a favourite - the mountain and wooden seating is part of that. You only need to see how popular the Goodwood circuit is to realise the love that people have for a more unspoilt and less modernised, traditional venues. Nostalgia sells - but at Cadwell you have that all year round, for all comers. Classic and Historic races are consistently the best supported races - please Motorsport Vision, have the vision to not ruin what you have in the pursuit of something 'better'.
Also, many technology parks do not live up tp their hype. You can't ignore the environmental impact of new buildings - and their huge building costs which are passed onto new businesses in the form of unaffordable rents. There must be plenty of brownfield sites that could be redeveloped to house these businesses - indeed if there were a market for these businesses, surely they would already exist?) These businesses would then be close to towns or villages, reducing the cost of commuting out of town and would support local communities and other businesses.
And a recession is arguably not a good time to be pinning hopes on such high technology businesses that require significant capital even to start. Is this within the reach of local/ everyday people? Who are these businesses that are demanding new and expensive premises? Before this new park - perhaps the local council should look at the availability of other units/ industrial estates in Lincolnshire. Many are really quite close enough to Cadwell to already benefit - yet are these parks thriving?
The last thing rural areas need are the business equivalent of out-of-town shopping centres. Businesses need to be sustainable in the long term and evolve naturally to suit the area - not just be parachuted in to give the appearance (and hope) of prosperity.”
by ginetta
Thursday, April 12 2012, 8:28PM
“I really hope this happens, Cadwell is the best circuit in the UK.
But and it's a big but, they must make sure that they don't spoil it.
Mr. Poll, have you been to Cadwell?
I ask because the wooden grandstand at the Mountain is not as bad as you make out.
As far as I understand it new grandstands (etc.) will mean the circuit has to pay more money to ELDC and LCC.
Give these/all businesses a break and you (ELDC & LCC) will make more money than your rip off business rates.”