by Trevor Bevins, Local Democracy Reporter.
A Dorset kart racing circuit which helped launch the careers of Formula One stars Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilton is to be demolished under redevelopment plans for the Clay Pigeon leisure complex.
Developers want to replace the Clay Pigeon Raceway and adjoining shooting school with the 226 chalet-style holiday homes and two units for staff.
The changes will see the site landscaped and the existing George Albert hotel expanded.
Dorset Council’s northern area planning committee voted 5-3 to accept the plans after a long debate which heard pleas to reject the plans and keep the race track.
Dan Parker, head of Karting Motorsport UK, told councillors that the loss of the established venue would be sadly missed.
“The venue has played an important part in British karting for decades and has supported the development of competitors, officials and volunteers, clubs and all their families throughout the South West and far beyond,” he said.
He said only six or seven other venues in the country would be able to host the the of events which were held at the Clay Pigeon.
Several councillors shared the concerns over the loss of the track and the scale of the proposed development.
Cllr Belinda Ridout, Gillingham, said she had doubts about whether the redevelopment would leave enough parking spaces for the hotel, which employs around 140 people.
Dorchester councillor Les Fry said the site was ideal for kart racing being some distance away from any houses with the shooting school area little more than an area of rough ground.
Cllr Alex Brenton said the site was isolated for holiday use and said that, she too, would support keeping a racetrack there if a way could be found, but said that was not the application before the committee and it had little choice other than to decide on the proposal.
“It’s a good thing to redevelop this site but personally I don’t like it.”
After an attempt to defer the decision was defeated another Dorchester councillor, Rory Major, said the committee had no reason to vote against the proposal.
“It’s up to the site owner and they don’t want to continue the race track use,” he said, asking the committee to agree the plans which it did on a majority vote.
