Double blow for Donington GP plans
by Pete Hayman | 30 Apr 2009
The British Formula One Grand Prix, which is due to be staged at Donington Park in Leicestershire from 2010, is facing an uncertain future after plans for the venue's £100m redevelopment were thrown into doubt.
North West Leicestershire District Council has granted planning permission for the first stage of improvements, to be carried out at the venue in preparation for the event, which will relocate to Donington Park from Silverstone, Northamptonshire for a 10-year period.
However, track owner Wheatcroft and Son (WSL) has issued legal proceedings against the venue's operator, Donington Venture Leisure (DVLL), in a bid to recover £2.47m it says it is owed in rent, as well as the forfeiture of a 150-year lease agreed in 2007. WSL's Kevin Wheatcroft said: "It is with great reluctance that we have taken this decision. Donington Ventures Leisure owes us nearly £2.5m in rent dating back to September 2008. Despite receiving numerous reassurances over a number of months, they have consistently failed to meet their financial obligations under the terms of the lease.""We have held off taking legal action for as long as possible but have been left with no choice but to commence proceedings to recover the outstanding rent and forfeit the lease." Further more, NWLC has now announced that it is planning to review its decision to approve DVLL's redevelopment plans, which includes the rebuilding and relocation of Donington Park's paddock and pit complex, as well as an extension of the race track designed by renowned Formula One circuit architect, Hermann Tilke.
DVLL's failure to sign a Section 106 agreement by the end of March means that NWLC's planning committee is now set to overturn its decision to green light the revamp of Donington Park, which last staged a Formula One Grand Prix in 1993. NWLC leader Richard Blunt said: "The Council has already extended the deadline for signing the agreement by another month, allowing four months in total, and has continued to work with Donington Park to meet the deadlines and terms of the permission.
"We can't keep extending the deadline for signing the agreement. Donington Park has already started construction and to allow further, unchecked construction to take place may make the original planning permission invalid and any future control the Council may wish to retain over events would be severely diluted."
The British Formula One Grand Prix, which is due to be staged at Donington Park in Leicestershire from 2010, is facing an uncertain future after plans for the venue's £100m redevelopment were thrown into doubt. North West Leicestershire District Council has granted planning permission for the first stage of improvements, to be carried out at the venue in preparation for the event, which will relocate to Donington Park from Silverstone,
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