The threat to Brooklands

Last month I published the news that Helical Bar plc intend to build office blocks and a car park to tower over the Brooklands Paddock, Clubhouse and Museum and the historic racing car and aviation buildings.

Should planning permission be obtained, the effect will be devastating. The Brooklands Museum sits on a piece of historically significant land, a National Heritage site, which makes it an attractive venue for visitors and clubs. It would be a cruel blot on the objectives of the Brooklands Society and the Museum who have worked so hard, not only to ensure the preservation of the nerve centre of the world’s first motor track, but that it retains some of the atmosphere it built up nostalgically over more than a quarter of a century.

Those of you who care must protest. On the day of the Elmbridge Borough Council’s Town Planning Committee meeting, it had received over 600 objections. This resulted in a stop being put on sub-committee delegation, the plan having to be referred to the full Town Planning Committee, which deferred matters for further discussions with the developers. The development is now a high-profile local issue, with an increasing number of councillors expressing strong reservations about the proposed project Indeed,

I am told the Secretary of State is considering whether to call in the application and that the Government office for the South-East has directed that the Council may not give approval without further authorisation. So far so good. But more protests should be made to the Head of Planning, Elmbridge Borough Council, Civic Centre, High Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 9SD and the Secretary of State himself Reference: Planning Application 200/1641 and 200/1642.