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Search the Public Notice PortalPLANS to close one of Britain’s most historic karting circuits to make way for holiday lodges have sparked strong opposition.
Proposals would demolish almost all the existing facilities, including the renowned Clay Pigeon Raceway, which Formula One champions Jenson Button, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton once raced on.
A Dorset Council planning committee will consider the proposal at a meeting today.
Paul Chick, who has worked with the Clay Pigeon Raceway for more than 35 years, has urged councillors to reject the proposal, warning that the loss of the circuit would be “a devastating blow not only to British motorsport but also to the local community".
He added: “Clay Pigeon Raceway has been part of the British motorsport landscape since the late 1950s and is one of the most important grassroots karting circuits in the country.
“Lando Norris began his racing career there, it was Jenson Button’s home circuit, and Lewis Hamilton won his first race at Clay Pigeon. Very few circuits anywhere in the UK can claim such a legacy.”
Mr Chick, who chaired the Young People’s Karting Project for more than two decades, said the circuit has given “disadvantaged and disabled young people the chance to experience motorsport - something that would otherwise have been completely out of reach for them”.
The racetrack has long provided its facilities free to community projects and charitable causes.
“None of this would have been possible without the generosity and commitment of Clay Pigeon Raceway,” Mr Chick added. “Their support enabled hundreds of young people to access opportunities that would otherwise have been impossible.”
His objection also challenges the developer’s claim that the circuit is no longer viable.
He said: “The circuit is busier now than it has ever been. Race meetings attract hundreds of competitors and spectators from across the UK and it is widely regarded as one of the best kart circuits in the country. For many young drivers it is where their motorsport journey begins.”
Mr Chick also hoped that Motorsport UK, the governing body, had been consulted along with Sport England.
Beyond motorsport, Mr Chick argues the venue is integral to the local economy and community life.
“Clay Pigeon is not simply a race circuit. It is a community asset,” he added. “Throughout the year the venue hosts charity events that raise thousands of pounds for good causes. Hundreds of spectators, families and competitors travel to the area on race days, supporting the local economy and bringing life to the community.”
Mr Chick concludes with a stark warning: “If this circuit is lost, it will be lost forever. Motorsport venues of this significance cannot simply be recreated elsewhere.”
Whilst the project run by Mr Chick no longer runs, it was passed on to the Bridport Bandits group which runs a similar charitable offering for young people.
It teaches young people aged 11+ mechanics, fabrication, and karting/Autograss racing skills.
John Russell, who runs the group, said: "It would be a major blow. I don’t know where we’d even go instead – I don’t know what other tracks there are. We’ve never really looked, but it would definitely take some thinking about."
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