Forum for residents of St Georges Park and Long Leys Road Lincoln

[deb]

The Carholme Community Forum will be voting Monday evening on the principle of bringing back horse racing to West Common. This is NOT a vote on any plans as, apparently no plans will be submitted to Planning, The Executive will just make a decision on wether to lease The Common.
There has been a heap of stuff written here and in the local press. Please reply starting with YES/NO/UNDECIDED and followed with any reasons if you want to state them and these will be amalgamated. Obviously there is a lot of 'IF this happens...' and 'THEY will want...', thrown in with 'WE will lose...' and it is based on possibilities of how this will go but all your reasoning that is most important to you is worth stating.
Thanks

[deb]

NO
I use the Common path on a regular basis as my preferred route into town.
I use the Common for walking/dog walking
I like the feel of passing open space when I come home
There are constant complaints about traffic problems in Lincoln. If there is no adequate infrastructure to go with a race course this can only get worse.
We have a race course at the showground
I have seen and heard nothing that makes me believe this enterprise would be viable and I worry that it could be a cheap way in to gain land or if not that any buildings erected for race purposes would be left unmaintained and eventually become derelict and dangerous.

[gman28uk]

On the way to work this morning I was handed a flyer asking people to sign a petition with regards to stopping the horse racing on the common, there is also a letter you can send to the local councillor to.
www.handsoffourcommon.co.uk
I have read that people are trying to get preservation orders on the trees? Can we not pop up some bat boxes to encourage the local wildlife as I’m sure they’re protected? Shame the pond doesn’t have some newts in it to.

[Neville]

my answer is a definite NO.

nothing has been shown by the LRRC to prove that horse racing will be beneficial to lincoln. the two companies are limited companies and each have been set up costing £100 a piece. once granted a 12 month lease those having shares in the two companies will sell off to another company giving them a profit. the new company can apply for an additional extention of the lease. this will allow them to get a foot hold onto the common. who know afterwards later further buildings will be added to the west common. it is nothing but a land grab for development. the proof of the pudding is what is happening to the great leighs racecourse near chelmsford. closed down for good for horse racing leaving a debt of millions. only worth £1.6m if returned back to agriculture. but if a business park, shopping complex and housing built on the site - worth hundreds of millions if not a billion.

[Jeff]

NO............ to horse racing on the West Common.
The only people making a profit (if there is one?) are the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company, the Lincoln Racecourse Trust, and the Tory MP for Lincoln as he is a director of the two companies which he has not denied.
Makes me angry that he is not available to answer questions either on the telephone at home or at his office in London. I don't think Lincoln is in his interests. Only making a name for himself.
The Tory ruling group at City Hall are supporting him. So are members of the Lincoln Conservative Party. He appears to be associated with Tory business people. They are backing his proposals for horse racing for Lincoln, even if the West Common is to be decimated as a common.
The Tories have to support Karl McCartney for him to remain as an MP representing their interests. The rest of us are at the back of the queue!

[tonyandcarol]

NO NO NO.
We totally oppose any restrictions that the use of the west common for the return of horse racing would cause to our daily use of our common. It is completely inappropriate on so many levels. We are not opposed to the return of racing to Lincoln but are unreservedly against the use of such a valuable asset and part of our heritage and local community for this purpose.

[fiona]

NO

Not enough sensible parking
Do not want to lose the common for walking / dog walking
Lincoln city council last year stopped the water festival and closed tourist information centres due to lack of money
the city bypass can not cope with day to day traffic never mind race day traffic and local traffic diversions
Infrastructure for everything needs doing:- parking, roads, grandstand, facilities (toilets, food, drinks, betting etc) who will pay for this and the policing.
Lincoln has so many other things going for it, that have stood the test of time.
Longleys road residents will be blocked in completely at both ends. We already endure the Christmas Market and the Cycle race.

I am also very shocked, disappointed and disgused to find out that I voted for a man to represent me and the other people of Lincoln is not impartical in this matter. What was it David Cameron said about sacking MP's???

[Paul and Janet]

NO. The proposals to return horse racing to the West common seem flawed in many ways. The actual plans have apparently not been made available. Traffic problems would be enormous and parking has not been thought out. The area probably to be covered by the course would ruin the common as we know it. I don't believe local businesses would benefit. I suspect the whole idea is not financially viable and I have a nagging doubt as to the motives of some of the people involved. Is it possible that this is intended to set a precedent which would enable future development on the West Common?

[john shipton]

My answer is NO

See comments already made. See also article in the Lincolnshire Echo with David Bellamy joining the debate.


TV botanist David Bellamy joins fight against West Common racecourse - Lincolnshire Echo 21st July 2010

TV botanist David Bellamy joins fight against West Common racecourse

David Bellamy.

WILDLIFE expert David Bellamy has backed the fight to stop a racecourse being built on Lincoln's West Common.

The celebrity conservationist said the development would threaten the heritage of the centuries-old land in the city.

Now he is urging people to oppose plans drawn up by the Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company – and leave the common as it is.

He said: "I beg you to go down the road of common sense and say no to any development that will impugn the heritage of the West Common.

A organisation – the West Common Community Group – has been formed to lead the battle.

Hundreds of people have signed a petition to oppose the proposals.

And senior city councillor Neil Murray has warned there will be a campaign of civil disobedience to halt the development if city planners give the go-ahead.

IN YOUR ECHO: The detailed debate over the plans.



Related content




West Common Community Group <http://www.handsoffourcommon.co.uk/index.html>

Lincoln Racecourse Regeneration Company <http://www.lincoln-racecourse.co.uk/>



Read more about



David Bellamy <http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/topics/person/davidbellamy>,
Neil Murray <http://www.thisislincolnshire.co.uk/topics/person/neilmurray>,

[SidandSid]

A NO from both of us too and for all the good reasons already stated

[richardcrabbe]

NO

Distruction to the Common.

LRRC are trying to suggest that any course will not be subject to the requirements of a new build track. They claim it is a "reinstatement". However, the introduction of the British Horseracing Manual (updated 2010) states clearly that the rules apply to those wishing to modify or improve present facilities.

To quote:
"The purpose of the Racecourse Manual is to provide Racecourse Managing
Executives, Racecourse Managers, Clerks of the Course and Architects with
the basis of a blueprint of the ‘ideal' specification for those facilities necessary
for the conduct, integrity and safety of a raceday. On occasion, this
specification exceeds the minimum standards set out in the British
Horseracing Authority General Instructions (BHAGIs) and should be used by
those designing a new racecourse, or by existing racecourses wanting to
carry out modifications or developments to improve their present facilities."

For those who wish to see what this manual demands, follow the link:
http://www.britishhorseracing.com/image ... l_2008.pdf

Edited highlights include "EMERGENCY SERVICE ROADS
MANDATORY:
A service road must be provided, giving access to all parts of the racing
surface. For safety reasons, the service road must be suitable for all types of
vehicle and be made of tarmacadam. This ensures that all essential services
(such as doctors, ambulances, vets, horse ambulances and recovery
vehicles) can get to all parts of the course. Passing places must be included
for emergencies."

Ladies & Gentlemen, our common is to get a tarmac road, with passing places along the entire length of the proposed racetrack. As the common is no longer long enough to take the straight length, this means the course will have to become a circuit, so the road will run around the whole common. Add in the mandatory drainage & watering systems & we have massive disruption.


Economic benefit.

16 races a year, with no other events. No concerts, no weddings, no conferences. How many full time jobs is this lkely to create? How many professional large scale companies are there in Lincoln in the fields of event management, marquee hire, mass catering for buffet / sit down entertainment, broadcast infrastructure. So how much of the money will stay in Lincoln & how much will go elsewhere. The jobs that will be created will be under 21 minimum wage, employed on an ad hoc basis for the event days only.


Traffic issues.

Not just for local residents but also for business in the centre of Lincoln. Racing will take 16 weekends worth of closure of Carholme Rd, which will deny one of the main routes into this area of Lincoln. The delays caused will mean many shoppers will choose to go elsewhere, shops in the High St & St Marks areas will lose trade & we risk getting a High St that is a ghost town. All the quality shops will move to commercial estates to the South of town.

According to the Deloittes, Media & sponsorship account for almost 30% of racecourse revenue. Most of the sponsorship relies on the media profile. Broadcasters technical infrastructure will require set up 1 or 2 days in advance & removal on the day after any raceday. Doubtless Health & Safety will require that Carholme Rd is closed during this period.

[twofish]

Our vote is NO to horse racing on the common.

Our reasons are:
1 It will prevent our right to cross the common eg to get to the Co-op on Carholme Road since this is the nearest shop we can walk to on the flat and since we haven't got a convenience store in our urban village.

2 It will block our path to the town centre on a flat route. We would have to go uphill to walk into town which I would find difficult.

3 It will prevent us using the common for activities such as nature spotting, soccer, kite flying, photography, French Cricket etc.

4 For the racing days Long Leys Road would become a nightmare for travelling especially with racegoers looking for no cost parking spaces on the roads off Long Leys Road and including it - and also because of the funeral processions going along Long Leys Road to the new cemetery.

5 With Carholme Road having to be closed the traffic would inevitably have to be diverted down Long Leys Road bringing Lincoln to a gridlock because the road can't cope with an increase in traffic - especially when you take 4 above into account.

6 Starting up racing would need new buildings and a road round the common plus security fencing (hotel, stables and car park)thus changing the whole nature of the common and affecting wildlife.

7 In the event of the race course not continuing I am worried that the changes to the law to allow the development of the Common for a business use would open the way to it being developed into a car park/park and ride with a housing estate - especially since the City Council once stated its objective of wanting to double the population of the city. The City Council don't want the expense of the upkeep of the common or the Grandstand and will probably see the racecourse as a means of getting out of these two commitments and then picking up the pieces and turning it into the housing estate/car park/park and ride it wanted and tried for in the past.

John Thorpe

[GDStimson]

NO - for all the excellent reasons already submitted.

The most compelling argument for me is that if you want to have horse racing for Lincoln (instead of using one of the excellent facilities only 30-40mins away), why not upgrade somewhere where they already have most of the facilities you need - like the showground. Why try and force it somewhere unsuitable, with no carparking, and no viable traffic management options?