THE Save Coventry Speedway & Stox Campaign would like to extend our festive good wishes to all motorsport supporters.
The hard work to return speedway and stock car racing to their rightful place goes on, and this has been another year of meetings, conversations and extensive submissions to that extent.
The stadium owners finally submitted their latest planning application in the summer, attempting to make the ludicrous case that their proposed redevelopment would be acceptable as it now included a football pitch and ancillary facilities, which would more than adequately compensate for the loss of the speedway/stock car venue.
This was a desperate attempt to misrepresent the provisions of section 97c of National Planning Policy Framework, and we submitted a detailed response indicating, with evidence, how the application was flawed in every respect, including their critiques of the sports they intend to displace which were untruthful and misleading.
As with the previous (discredited) application which never reached the Planning Committee, the developers' latest attempt has been subject to further delays. Indications are that it will be heard in the first half of the New Year - but we will be ready for it whenever that is the case.
Shortly before the developers' application, we unveiled details of our own plans to restore Brandon to what it should be: a thriving and vibrant motorsports venue. We then ran a consultation process which proved highly successful, and several of the suggestions from that process are being incorporated into the final submission. This is expected to be registered with Rugby Council early in the New Year.
The owners continue to face court action concerning their appalling record on security at the stadium, as well as the consequent impact on local residents. This trial was supposed to take place in the Autumn, but as with so many key incidents in this saga, it has been delayed and we await a date to be set in 2022.
Despite what the owners would wish you to believe were you to read their application, there is significant interest in taking on the stadium for motorsports use, and the offer made by Warren Hunter some 18 months ago is still on the table. It has been neither accepted nor rejected.
We have now had five years without speedway and stock car racing at Brandon, and 2022 will be the sixth. But our determination to secure the outcome we all want is as strong as ever - and we gain further strength from the weight of public reaction every time the story is in the press or there is activity on social media.
We wish all speedway and stock car supporters a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, and we sincerely hope everyone remains safe and healthy. As ever, we will communicate information to keep you in touch as soon as we possibly can.