Appeal to Peterborough City Council to help find more time to spare speedway track from developer

A plea has been made to the leader of Peterborough City Council to help save the city’s speedway arena while its racing team finds a new home.

The track, which is the base for top title winning Peterborough Panthers, is earmarked to be demolished as part of a homes and leisure village development of the East of England Showground.

Yet fans say the track, which has been used by the Panthers for 53 years, is a valuable asset to the city and should be saved from the bulldozers until the team finds a new home.

But during an Ask the Leader question and answer session, council leader Councillor Wayne Fitzgerald told Panthers’ supporter Robert Clarke (42) that there was little the council could do despite months of searching for a solution.

It comes after AEPG, the site promoter, submitted two outline planning applications to build a total of 1,500 homes plus a £50 million leisure village on the Showground, which is owned by the East of England Agricultural Society, which says it no longer has a use for the land.

Panthers supporter Robert Clarke (42) asked: “When will the council be enforcing the Local Plan, sections 30 and 36, against AEPG and their plans to destroy the Showground sports stadium that is home to the Panthers team?

"Surely it is time for the council to step in and mediate between AEPG and the owner of the Panthers and cut a deal to allow speedway to continue at the Showground in the short-term while AEPG and the council help to relocate the Panthers to secure the long term future of the club for future generations?

Mr Clarke said it was understood that a potential new owner was looking to buy the speedway club. He said if plans for the Showground were approved it would still be about five years before any new homes would be built, so why was it not possible for the speedway track to be retained for several more years to give any new owners the chance to get established?

He added: “Peterborough Panthers, who have won the Premiership numerous times, are arguably the most successful sports team in Peterborough.”

He said the last race would be on October 7 after which, it was understood, the sports venue would be bulldozed.

Cllr Fitzgerald said the Local Plan did not require the council to intervene.

But he went on: “We at the council have been racking our brains for months about how we can help assist the Panthers to find a new home and I have to say that we are at a loss at the moment.

“We have talked about the Greyhound Stadium but that has been bought by a private company and we have also talked about the possibility of the British Car Auction site, which is also privately owned.

He vowed: “I’ll work with you, fans or owners, to do all we can to help facilitate something.

"But it is not for the council to spend public money to reprovision the speedway club.

“And no one from the club has approached the council in any formal way.”

Cllr Fitzgerald said: “We will continue to rack our brains and urge AEPG to make clear its timetable.”