I think I agree with Palmer. It'll be very hard to think that an investment such as this would ever make a return on investment, in an acceptable time frame.
4000-6000 full time jobs? Looks like doing a trackday there you'll have your own pit crew, brolly dolly and medical crew.
Johnathon Palmer is a tw@, how will a new circuit with a dedicated motorsport technology centre possibly harm motorsport? harm his profits more like! a new circuit is a blessing for petrolheads like us, the plans for this motorsports park include not only the main circuit but an international level karting track and a dedicated motorcross centre too. as long as the welsh government don't get tempted to do something stupid I can't wait for this to start, as soon as I find out who the principal contractor is going to be I will be submitting my CV to them, this is the sort of project I would love to work on and its in commuting distance from Bristol too.
Yes Palmer is being protectionist. You would be exactly the same in his shoes. But I still cant see how it will give a return on investment.
it all depends on who they can tempt over to set up shop there, I've been following the saga for a while now and I know FTR have pledged to move their development centre on site, if they can sell the place as a home for bike sport in the UK (a la Silverstone and F1) they could be onto a winner. the other big push is 'green' motorsports tech and further development into road uses. yes the circuit itself may not be a prudent investment in itself (look at Portimao, its an incredible place in a fantastic setting but really struggling at the moment because it is just a circuit in the middle of nowhere) even if most of the top race series have expressed an interest in holding rounds there, but the real investment is in the technology park.
Developers have revised up the estimated number of jobs created by the plans quoting 3,000 construction posts as well as 4,000-6,000 new full-time jobs when the track is due to completed in 2015/16. Not according to the article it's not, 4-6,000 workers in he technology park seems very optimistic, but as we all know plucking figures out of the air, can give whatever result you want to justify your expense.
The numbers of construction workers and employees, I reckon is way over the mark........... If the project is correctly designed and managed, construction of a race circuit wouldn't need anywhere near that many...... .....FFS, it's a simple road with a few buildings and infrastructure......... I sometimes wonder what planet people are on to come up with figures like that........ ......Oh, I know, it's called "Planet Well over estimate the number of jobs and the revenue the project will create in a deprived area to try convince the Authorities to allow it to go ahead" I find it bizarre that the isn't project being located somewhere central in the UK so everyone has ease of access to it rather than stuck in the West of the UK.............Anyone to the east of the Severn Bridge knows just how long it takes to get to Pembrey.
Yes I agree. Why aren't they building this in central London? It really easy for most of the important people in this country to get to. The MP's , foreign nationals, Telegraph readers, Times contributors etc. Why on earth build a track in a beautiful part of the world that has a surfeit of labour available? Everything should be in central (south of south mimms services) England.
It's an hour from me About time we had something nearer my nearest track is a good 3 hours away The area it's being built in really needs some money injected into it There is a good road to Cardiff from there and a good road to Carmarthen You other lot can visit your own tracks ;-D
UK already has a hugely expensive underused white elephant racing circuit losing money - it's called Rockingham. How much do we need another one?
We certainly don't need any more tracks in Central/Southern UK. I think this is a great location, easy to get to from most of Wales, West Midlands even the West Country. The area needs investment and the population probably won't complain as much about the noise as they do in the more densely populated South East England. Great news if it's goes ahead
Whatever happens it needs to be all or nothing. As soon as anyone starts to mess with changing the design investors will start to pull out. Heaven forbid if it goes the same way as the Donington Park fiasco. Oh and if it goes ahead, how are they going to manage people's rights to peace and quiet. Either compulsory purchase orders or big noise banks and tree plantations.
