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Fury at plan for race cars
Friday 18th April 2008, 11:03PM BST.
Villagers have launched a move to halt controversial plans for Ferarris, Porsches and rally cars to race around a rural airfield near Stafford.
Following angry scenes at a packed meeting last night, residents living near Seighford Airfield want to stop proposals for high-speed driving experiences at the site. They say a Government inspector should decide the project’s future.
Flintshire-based Driveme. net Ltd has requested permission to continue coaching drivers in performance cars such as the Audi R8, Subaru Impreza and Mitsubishi Evo.
On the company’s website, it boasts that customers can drive 200mph Lamborghinis, carry out handbrake turns and enjoy high speed “white-knuckle passenger rides” at the site near Stafford.
A planning application, submitted to Stafford Borough Council, includes plans for four tracks, 283 car parking spaces and buildings for vehicle storage and maintainance.
However, people living near the site have already raised concerns over noise and traffic from driving events at the airfield. And earlier this year, the borough council refused to issue a certificate of lawfulness to allow motor vehicle testing at the site.
Last night, a special public meeting was held in Great Bridgeford Village Hall to discuss the plans.
Seighford Parish Council chairman Jean Wetton said: “It was standing room only at the back and it was an angry meeting – the consensus of opinion seemed to be that 95 per cent of people in the room were against it.
“People were saying that once we get that at the airfield, are we also going to get this, that and the other afterwards.
“As a parish council, we don’t have any clout in planning matters but we can make a lot of noise. I am trying to get hold of our nearest borough councillor to get it called in this morning then it will go to a higher authority.”
Councillor Wetton added that Driveme.net had sent four representatives to the meeting who gave out leaflets and tried to address the villagers’ concerns.
And Driveme.net director Andy Davies has said that the company had taken steps to curb the noise of cars used on its track.
“We have sold two of the noisiest vehicles and the new circuit has been designed to enable vehicles to take corners in third and fourth gear to further reduce noise,” he explained.
Meanwhile, Ranton Parish Council will discuss the application at its next meeting on April 24.
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Residents of the communities affected by this scourge should move heaven and earth to prevent it ………. I live in a rural area adjacent to a major City and a Drag strip was instituted locally unopposed by residents and now life for them at the weekends is a living Hell ……. accept this at your peril!!…………
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I think the people have no idea what it’s like living near some business street, I think it’s better just let some boy racer knock someone down then people has something else to say.
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So the NIMBYs strike again eh!
I don’t suppose these people mind coming into stafford and bunging the town up with their cars to shop or drop the little darlings off at school causing us residents problems do they? Or to use the new sports centre which has caused us all months of hassle on the roads? In reply to woolibuga…. how on earth can you compare a dragster with a petrol car? you quite obviously have no understanding of motorsport… ethanol running vehicles… drags etc ARE very noisy indeed but the vehicles they will be using are are road legal from what i can tell and as such HAVE to meet EU legislation on emissions etc and as such produce nowhere near the SPL (sound pressure level (the correct scale for measuring sound level)) so please wolli don’t scaremonger and at least get your facts right before you post eh!
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Lewisham Ilton,
My facts are indeed correct ….. I am able to categorically confirm this every weekend in the Summer …. not only do these individuals race their alcohol fueled vehicles they also race street legal petrol fueled cars and trucks …….. the net result is the same …… an abomination of noise.
And as far as ‘Scaremongering” ….. I think every sane thinking citizen will already have drawn their own conclusions as to the desirability of having this insanity in their backyard……………………..
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Its only people spending their hard earned cash having a once in a life times dream drive!
Good grief,its not as if its going to be open all night!
My sister drove this gentlemans lambergini for her birthday in March she had a fantastic day and Andy is a very nice gent.
Could a few of the villagers be a a bit jealous of Andy;s pennies in his pocket..lol..
Yeahhhhhh course they are!!
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i’m all for this track, considering the loss of currant jobs and fall in economy, surely it will produce more jobs and be something to put the area on the map. i too know andy davies, he is a very nice man.
when the protestors went up to protest, how did they get there.?. o yes in there cars!!
they protest about the polution and the noise.
in Ranton, there is at least 2 gas guzzling 4×4′s on each drive way pumping out more co2 in one week then all of these super cars do in a year.
so residents of ranton, instead of moaning over a slight bit of noise or pollution. why don’t you get rid of your noisy gas guzzlers first before critisizing others!!!!
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I am a local builder in this area and I am all for the new planning application for Driveme.net and agree with the above comment from Kitkat, we should not knock any opportunity to increase the job prospects in this country. I work in the local area and have never noticed any excecive noise coming from this site. If the noise is your only concern the new track that has been proposed will reduce any noise by at least half as the airfield is made of concrete and the new track will made of tarmac, to give an example to the laymans, if you drive on the M54 or the M42 there are sections of the motorways that are still concrete, if you drive in these areas you will realise the difference in the noise produced from the two different surfaces. I wish Driveme.net all the best and when the planning goes ahead I will be visiting the venue myself recomending it to others.
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