Green light to build houses on the site of Long Eaton sports stadium

CONTROVERSIAL plans to build almost 200 houses on the site of a former sports stadium look set to get the go-ahead from councillors, despite strong opposition.

Campaign group Save Our Speedway had hoped to see the Long Eaton stadium replaced following its closure in 1997.

But the group conceded defeat after developer Stolkin Properties had its application for a £6m stadium rejected by the council in March last year.

Although the council gave its official backing to the use of the site as a sports venue in 1998, the application was rejected because of concerns about the noise level and a lack of parking for visitors.

Now the developer has officially applied to Erewash Borough Council for permission to build 197 properties on the site.

Council officers have recommended the latest application be approved when it is considered by the authority tomorrow.

Save Our Speedway spokesman and former commercial manager of the stadium, John Bailey said the group did not support having houses on the site and would continue to campaign for a stadium.

He said: “Our group still has a lot of support – there can be more than 100 people at our meetings if we have a guest speaker.

“It is ridiculous that the plan for the stadium was turned down on the ground that it would have been too noisy and there would have been too much traffic.

“This new housing development will see at least 200 cars going in and out of the site all day long and it is going to be grid-locked.”

The old stadium closed in December 1997, after more than 70 years of speedway and greyhound racing, when its owner, Northern Sports, went into liquidation.

Since then the overgrown site, which is surrounded by housing, has suffered repeated arson attacks and travellers have illegally parked their vehicles there.

In 2006 it was bought by Essex-based Stolkin Properties.

If the council approves the developer's plans, it will do so on the condition there is a field and play equipment provided for children at Grange Primary School.

Peter Wrathall, a semi-professional speedway driver, for Long Eaton, between 1963 and 1971, described the old stadium as a wonderful venue.

The 68-year-old, of Longmoor Lane, Breaston, said: “The stadium was the thing that put Long Eaton on the map internationally.

“It is very, very sad the plan for a new stadium was turned down.”

No-one from Stolkin Properties was available for comment.