D-Day for Peterborough speedway as Showground plans up for debate
Councillors are due to decide on redeveloping the East of England Showground
For Peterborough speedway fans, today could well be their D-Day.
This afternoon, city councillors will decide if the East of England Showground - the Peterborough Panthers' home for 53 years - can be redeveloped as part of plans including 1,500 new homes and a £50 million leisure village.
The Panthers have been unable to ride at the Showground while the plans have been ongoing.
Mick Bratley - who's on a consortium aiming to save the speedway team - has questioned whether Asset Earning Power Group (AEPG), the company behind the plans, is going to meet national and local planning policies on replacing existing sports facilities at risk of redevelopment.
But the former Panthers promoter is confident today's meeting will be a success.
'They have our 100% trust'
"I'm looking forward to it; if you ask the supporters from what I'm reading, they think it's a done deal but as far as myself and the consortium are concerned, that is absolutely not the case," he said.
"Peterborough is well above the (housing) levels required, and I'm 100% confident in the planning committee and they have our 100% trust to do the right thing."
Hopes to save the Showground from redevelopment were dampened after Peterborough City Council rejected an application to make the venue an asset of community value last month.
The owners of Queensgate have voiced their concerns, with more than 2,200 objections to the plans being submitted on the city council's planning portal.
And an online petition has been set up to allow people to submit their views on the redevelopment.
In March, Carl Johnson, another former Panthers promoter, said the club has to stay.
"They're (AEPG) looking at putting a sports venue in there, why can't we be part of this development?" he told Greatest Hits Radio.
"We've been there for 53 years; it's not the sort of thing where we've just rocked up and set up camp and we're part of Peterborough's history."
'I think most people have heard of us now'
Mick believes the campaigning up to this point is something to smile about.
"I think we can be proud of what we've done and achieved," he added.
"Peterborough speedway, for a lot of people in the city, is something they've probably never heard of but I think most people have heard of us now and you couldn't buy that publicity."
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.