Mallory Park circuit in noise trouble

[Chris Y]

See this thread:

http://tentenths.com/forum/showthrea...81#post3214581

It seems that the local residents are being particuarly unfair and demanding stupidly low noise levels.

I can sympathise with the irritation about the moto-crossers - those things have a very annoying buzzing sound, but what the locals are asking for is ludicrous.

[Peter Mallett]

According to Ian Flux who spoke to Chris Meek, this story has less legs than a newly hatched tadpole. #facebook

[VIVA GT]

Originally Posted by Peter Mallett

According to Ian Flux who spoke to Chris Meek, this story has less legs than a newly hatched tadpole. #facebook

What a great phrase Peter! Am I free to use this at will, or do you require payment each time?

[Peter Mallett]

Bugger, forgot the copyright.

[chunder]

Motocross is far better now without so many two strokes, 4 strokes are still loud but a little quieter if policed properly.

Not the same can be said for go karts, which must be truly hideous to live near to

[grantp]

I thought they shut the motocross development a few weeks back. In which case no noise at all from that.

[grantp]

As I recall Mallory was originally a trotting track for horse sport -or something like that.

Now it might be historically correct and appealling to some of the locals if such a tradition was to return.

However one notes that the current economic climate has seen some horse racing venues announcing their closures. Maybe just not enough interest?

But as a trotting track with a fair amount of land around and some good hard standing for visiting transport and caravans I can thing of one group of people who might relish the location and as a community probably have the cash do something about buying it.

My guess would be that the local council, having a legal obligation towards accommodating the group, would be quite supportive of the idea as well. Planning permission should not be a problem.

I'm sure many of the locals would be delighted to hear that the Park area was reverting, sort of, to its historic basis of equine sporting events.

[McMuttley]

I have been there when there was both racing and MotoX. Racecars down in the bowl were drowned by the MotoX, so there may be sense in that element having wound people up.

I suspect they need Piper's QC to come up with a cunning plan, the argument being the greater public benefits of an established use outweighs subjective perception of harm.

Sooner the coalition scraps the convention of human rights or whatever it is this week, the better (for this week i mean the coalition, who knows what they are on any given day and how many times they might change their mind - sounds like my driving!)

However, 5 years of the site being used as the national pikey trotting/trap racing centre, with the site turned into an illegal housing estate, the village trashed and locals abused; should soon have them begging for the site's heritage for motor sport to be re-instated.

Apologies of course to all those travelling folk out there who do not abuse the planning rules of the land, don't waste tax payers money taking the p***, don't go attracting every left wing activist there is to blindly support/hijack their cause, don't rely on the human rights act to f up everyone else's rights, don't go around stealing trailers and anything else not bolted down and are entirely friendly and respectful to their hard-working tax-paying neighbours.

[deley]

http://www.hinckley-bosworth.gov.uk/...0/mallory_park

[JohnD]

Usually I will have nothing to do with these E-Governement petitions, but this one seems worthwhile.
The company that runs Mallory Park Circuit say they cannot continue in business if thay are limited to the number of uses a year that the County Council intends to impose on them. If they cannot use Mallory Park as a race circuit then sale for housing is the likely outcome.

The petition is a long way off the 100K signatures needes to get the Gov to take notice, so add yours now!
See: http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/46739

John

[EastonNeston]

I wonder how keen the NIMBYS would be on having the circuit closed, with the subsequent loss of income for local businesses if the property owners published plans for converting the site to 'social housing', for which there is a great need? Possibly include plans to use part of the site as accommodation for 'travellers' as provision for that part of the community is lacking in the area.

If the circuit is unable to operate viably, the circuit owners are surely entitled to take whatever steps are needed to get the best return on their investment possible.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by JohnD

Usually
The company that runs Mallory Park Circuit say they cannot continue in business if thay are limited to the number of uses a year that the County Council intends to impose on them.
John

The Council is asking the Circuit to operate within the arrangements agreed by the planning permission granted in 1985, it is not imposing anything new.

[andy97]

Originally Posted by EastonNeston

If the circuit is unable to operate viably, the circuit owners are surely entitled to take whatever steps are needed to get the best return on their investment possible.

Only if they operate within the law and within the limitations set by their planning permission; they appear not to have been, sadly.

[HornetV8]

Put my (virtual) scribble on it, never done Mallory Park but one of the lads at work tells me its the best in the country, be rude not to go and give them my financial support this year then

I wonder what came first, the track or the complaining residents? Bit like the ones who leave near the railway and claim its noisy when its been that way for over 100 years...

[MGDavid]

Originally Posted by HornetV8

Put my (virtual) scribble on it, never done Mallory Park but one of the lads at work tells me its the best in the country, be rude not to go and give them my financial support this year then

I wonder what came first, the track or the complaining residents? Bit like the ones who leave near the railway and claim its noisy when its been that way for over 100 years...

wide of the mark on several counts. The problem at the moment is NOT nimby residents but the Council monitoring Mallory noise to ensure they stay within the agreed limits which currently they aren't.

[andy97]

[The Fat Clerk]

I think you'll find that it's residents with a vested interest.
The helicopters flying over head make a lot more noise and run well into the night but nobody complains about them.

[andy97]

The circuit operators have the biggest vested interest and if they are not complying with the planning rules (or seeking a new planning permission) they only have themselves to blame.

MSVR and even Donington, now, understand this. It really is no good bleating if your planning permission is for circa 90 days and you have been exceeding this markedly.

Breaking the rules gets the whole of motorsport a bad name. I really hope it gets sorted as I have enjoyed spectating, testing and competing there but motorsport as a whole is under threat and we need to be squeaky clean

[HornetV8]

Originally Posted by The Fat Clerk

I think you'll find that it's residents with a vested interest.
The helicopters flying over head make a lot more noise and run well into the night but nobody complains about them.

Ahh miss read into that, its what happens when you skim read, ahh in that case good on the residents boo the council....yeah I think that backtrack worked...

[jagbabe]

Not sure whose fault the threat to Mallory is, owners, local authority officials or villagers but they need to get together and sort it out. It is a great track that used to have a good relationship with locals and has had Wednesday testing and lots of racing for yonks!
Certainly since 2000 when I first went there so it must be recent breaches of noise limits or new residents who bought cheaply and are now looking for a quick buck.
It surely brings business into the area as opposed to potentially dodgy 'new' neighbours should it be turned into a housing estate come home for travelling collectors of metal!
Blinkin madness...............is if the economy and life isn't bad enough....

aaaaarrrrrgghhhhh! I cant think of anything more constructive to offer

[jc3501]

Mallory is a fabulous circuit and it is a real shame that its future could be blighted. Please find below an extract from one of the Parish Council Meetings that followed Awesomefest 2011....

4.1. Mallory Park Racing Circuit
With regard to the Racing Circuit, a high proportion of those attending contributed to the debate which was allowed to proceed for approximately ninety minutes. The main concerns were centred around an ‘AwesomeFest’ event which was held at the circuit on the 29th - 31th of July. This had not been a controlled race meeting, just an opportunity for loud music, and for young people to slide, skid and drift their noisy cars around the circuit at high speed.

Residents complained strongly about the following:

• Horrendous noise from vehicles, many without proper silencers
• Loud deep beat music that continued to 02.30 in the morning
• Cars using the circuit at night up to 22.00 hrs
• The closing of the public footpath around the outskirts of the circuit
• The churchyard and local gardens being used as public conveniences
• Insufficient security personnel at the campsite
• Dust and fumes for several days during the meeting

The Chair confirmed that these issues had already been taken up by the Parish Council and had been discussed with Mr Ward and with appropriate Officers involved with Licensing, the Environment and Pollution at the Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council. Following written and verbal complaints from the residents, the H&BBC had already written to Mr Ward and were awaiting his response before deciding how to proceed.

It was evident that the ‘AwesomeFest’ event had been a ‘last straw’ for many residents who took the opportunity to complain about the gradual increase in use of the circuit and the associated decline in the quality of life in the village. The main concern was that noise levels had progressively increased over the years. Other concerns were similar to those expressed above but, in addition, there were complaints with respect to the heavy traffic and partial blockage of Church Road and Barwell Lane, before and after events. It appears that this was because the entrances across Barwell Lane and Bosworth Road were not always used. Another concern was waste material blowing from the circuit onto adjacent gardens in Church Road, after race meetings.

The agreed rules of how and when the circuit could be used and whether the noise levels made by competing vehicles were confirmed to be within legal limits prior to racing, were also questioned. The Chair provided a number of copies of the arrangements that were in place - the H&BBC Summary of ‘Noise/Circuit Use Limitations’ (copy filed with Minutes). He was of the opinion that noise levels were presently not tested regularly at the Circuit and thought that there was evidence suggesting that the Circuit did not have the correct licenses for the activities related to the ‘AwesomeFest’ event. He asked that residents should keep records and provide evidence if they thought that the rules were being broken.

Disappointment was expressed that Mr Ward and a representative from the H&BBC Environmental Health Department had not attended the meeting. It was suggested that many of the residents’ concerns needed to be assessed under the Environmental Protection Act, and that the large turn out at the meeting conveyed the strength of feeling in the village. The Chair reiterated that presently the Borough Council has much more power to act than the Parish Council.

Ward Councillors from the H&BBC, Mr Paul Bessant and Mrs Ruth Camamile expressed their understanding of the public concern. It appeared to them that issues had been building up for some time, and the Track was now overstepping the mark more and more. They agreed to help the Parish. The traffic problems would be discussed with the County Council Highways Department, and the other general concerns of residents would be taken up with the appropriate Officers in the Environmental Health and the Licensing Departments at the H&BBC. Some answers would be expected to be available before the next Parish Council meeting. It was suggested that a public meeting should be arranged for all parties involved in these matters, as soon as possible, and hopefully within the next three weeks. The public would be informed of the meeting. The Parish Council and the H&BBC Councillors said they would be as supportive as possible.

I for one would be a tad p***d off if I lived in a village that, for the most part has tolerated and accepted the circuit's business - but this event seems to be the one to tip the residents over the edge.....

[vjay48]

I find the situation strange,when Barc became the operator of the circuit there due diligence was to accept the planning details and therefore the operating constraints on the circuit should have been clear. Therefore they signed the lease knowing that they could run at a profit,has losing BSB made a large difference? Why was BSB taken away,was it because the place is scruffy,JP has quite clear standards for his events. I dont think you can blame nimbys for any problem.

[GrahamH]

I think my sympathies are with the local residents on this one. I don't think it's in anybody's interests for the operation of a circuit to generate such ill feeling amongst local residents. The "AwesomeFest" event sounds like something that I'd travel a long way to avoid, so to have it going on behind my house would be very frustrating.

Leaving aside the issue of the number of "noisy" days permitted, I wonder if the root cause of the problems is that the circuit usage has changed significantly?

I remember seeing tank driving experiences on offer at Mallory Park a year or two back: That must have been very noisy. Couple that with the current moto-cross usage, and what was a relatively quiet circuit has evolved into something very different for the locals to cope with.

Although I don't like racing at Mallory, as a spectator it's a fun place to go, so I hope a solution can be found which allows the circuit to continue as a motor racing venue.

[johngee]

How I wish the ill informed would read the FACTS that are quoted by jc3501 above. The remedies in the shape of noise control and a 'good neighbour' policy are self evident and should the circuit be closed down or regulated to the point of commercial unsustainability, the current circuit management and operators have only themselves to blame.

[vjay48]

I dont think the topic is populated by the ill informed,most people i think have realised where the operating problems lie. Would the circuit be missed if it closed down,after all it closed before. All the four BARC operated circuits have problems of one sort or another. Nothing lasts forever!