Battle to save speedway in Peterborough goes on despite council refusal
The East of England Showground remains subject to redevelopment
Peterborough Panthers fans are being reassured every effort is being made to keep speedway in the city.
It comes as Peterborough City Council rejected an application from Orton Waterville Parish Council to make the East of England Showground an asset of community value (ACV).
In a letter, the city council said "after considerate deliberation, we concluded that the evidence provided did not demonstrate that it is reasonable to believe the use (of the Showground) could be reinstated within the next five years".
If granted, ACV status would be in place for five years, which can be considered when determining planning applications including as a reason for refusing demolition.
The Showground is subject to redevelopment plans, drawn up by developers Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG), which include 1,500 new homes on the site as well as a hotel, school and a ‘leisure village’.
Council decision "not a huge problem"
Councillor Julie Stevenson represents Orton Waterville on the city council, where the Showground is based - she's not disheartened by the decision to refuse ACV status.
"It's disappointing but no surprise and they have given the reasons that because we're unable to prove it will still exist at that location in five years, and that's the unfortunate position we find ourselves in," she said.
"This is not a huge shock and it's not a huge problem because it's just one step in the process of our fight to save this important sport for Peterborough.
"It's one thing to lose it from the site, but there's also this huge risk the sport will be lost entirely from the city if there's nowhere to race, so there is an obligation and a moral duty to find an alternative."
Decision day planned for next month
Writing on Facebook, the Save Peterborough Panthers group said that it was surprised by the council's decision to refuse ACV status.
It said city councillors are due to make a decision on the Showground redevelopment at the council's planning committee meeting on October 15.
The group added that campaigners and the public "should use this opportunity to work with the consortium to demonstrate their opposition to the plans to kill off a much-loved sport in Peterborough."
Peterborough City Council has been approached for comment.
"We're still very much in the game"
Cllr Stevenson, who's supporting campaigners against the redevelopment, said the battle to save speedway is not lost.
"People have scattered their loved ones' ashes on the track, people have a real sense of belonging that's brought about by this sport and it's part of our cultural heritage here, so to me, it's very clear that this is something I should be supporting," she added.
"We're still fighting and very much in the game.
"What we must never do is give up; keep on fighting, keep on talking, find every opportunity to help the public to understand that what's happening to this sport in Peterborough is completely unacceptable."
AEPG has previously said it's "not commercially viable" to continue running speedway beyond last season, citing reason such as falling attendances and less events held on the site.