Speedway groups call for new race track at East of England Showground
Showground bosses demand full speedway business plan
Bosses of Peterborough’s Showground have called on speedway groups to produce a full business case to show how the sport would fund a venue at the site.
Showground promoters AEPG say that without a comprehensive business plan it is impossible to comment on demands from the British Speedway Promoters and Speedway Control Bureau that room should be found for a track at the Showground or at an alternative site in the city.
Speedway fans are angry that the top title-winning Peterborough Panthers speedway club and race track have been removed from the Showground to make way for a multi-million pound 1,500 homes and leisure-village complex.
The Showground is owned by the charity the East of England Agricultural Society (EEAS), which no longer needs the land and has appointed AEPG to promote and oversee the development of the site.
In a new submission to Peterborough City Council, speedway officials are urging the local authority to reject the plans for the development claiming they do not comply with the government’s National Planning Policy Framework.
But they add: “One way in which AEPG could ensure their scheme was compliant would be to provide an alternative venue, in the Peterborough area, for the sport which they have evicted, or indeed to modify their own plans to support its retention at the Showground.“However, as things stand, we believe there is no way this proposal should be accepted.”
The officials say they dispute AEPG claims that the Peterborough club is not viable, that its support is not home-based and that it is a sport in decline.
An APEG spokesperson said: “As we have stated before, we empathise with the speedway fans, but any private sporting activity must have a business plan for any private landlord to review, even more so given EEAS’ registered charity status.
"We still await a business plan from the consortium which we requested on 20 May 2024.
"This is required to show how speedway (a private entity) is proposing to fund all aspects of operating, including facility upgrade, operational and rental/licence fee costs along with the sport trends, and spectator numbers nationally with expected future predictions plus a detailed source of funding and covenants for such.
"They will also need to make clear the ownership of the company and include the licences required to operate so we can thoroughly review and compare against other extensive sporting opportunities we have as part of the proposed development.
“It is essential for the landowner (a registered charity) to ensure any activity is compliant with Charities Commission regulations, which dictate all activity must be in line with charitable aims.
"The charity must not fund, or be liable to fund losses or subsidies, on any standalone activity outside of its charitable aims and objectives.”