Highbridge’s Oaktree Arena speedway track is seeking permission to extend the days on which it can hold bike races following a summer of wet weather causing cancellations – but the proposals have led to some concerns about extra noise.
Somerset Speedway has applied to Sedgemoor District Council to hold meetings six times a year on another weekday evening besides Fridays.
The track is seeking the changes to allow alternative race nights to be held on Wednesdays when the opponent’s race night is also on a Friday, when no other Friday is available, or when fixtures are cancelled due to poor weather.
While many speedway fans are in favour of the proposals, saying the meetings attract extra visitors and income into the Burnham-On-Sea area, some local residents have expressed concerns about noise.
Local resident Maureen Phillips has written to the council, stating: “I am content for them to hold a meeting on another day of the week to allow them to clear a backlog of meetings that have been rained off. This year, the weather has been unprecedented.”
“However, I do not want a situation where the planning has been changed to allow them to hold two meetings a week. This will become the accepted ‘norm’ and we, the neighbours, will have to put up with noise on two evenings in any seven days. Is there some temporary measure that could allow changes for this year only? I should not want permission to be in place for the arrangement to continue into another year.”
Sedgemoor’s Environmental Health Officer has recommended the application be approved with the restriction that no more than two consecutive speedway meetings are held without a break of at least 14 days to “minimise noise disturbance on local residents.”
Comments are being sought by the district council’s planning department from all interested parties up until August 21st.
