I’d love to see a racetrack on oldWheels site as well, says ex-stock car promoter
AT first they were more than a bit miffed – but now the people who had entertained hopes of buying Bordesley Park themselves have expressed delight at news that the Blues want to move in.
Birmingham City FC has made a bid to buy the 48-acre largely abandoned site from Birmingham City Council and turn it into a centre of sporting excellence.
Racing enthusiast and former stock car promotor Philip Bond says he hopes Blues’ plans will include a race track and opportunities for thousands to enjoy the spectacle of high-speed motorsport.
Mr Bond, 81, had been involved in efforts by local tycoon Lyndon Rushby to buy the land last year from the city council, only for their multi-million pound bid to be rejected as ‘too low’.
But, after initially expressing concern, he now thinks the Blues plan will be the best outcome for the area and the city.
“I am cautiously optimistic,” said Mr Bond, who has been involved in wheeled sports most of his life. “They appear to have deep pockets and a vision for the site to be a centre of sporting excellence, which sounds very promising. It’s what the city needs.”
He shared the news with Rushby – his friend is currently abroad – and said there was initially disappointment that ongoing negotiations with the council had been sidelined.
But he says he is now holding out hope that the club’s owners will entertain talks about incorporating motorsports and other wheeled activity in the finished complex, assuming their plans get off the ground.
“We have seen this before, only for the plans to fade away, but I hope this time something amazing is delivered,” he added.
“What would be brilliant is for the club to incorporate the existing
oval racetrack and other facilities for stock car racing, drifting, speed skating and karting into the new plans.
“We will certainly be lobbying them to retain what’s currently there for now, even in the short term, and then including Wheels in the overall project.”
Currently occupying around 12 acres of the overall site, the Wheels Park has entertained drivers and visitors for more than 30 years. Crowds of up to 3,000 would watch stock cars bashing their way around the oval, while thousands tried out karting and skating annually. The last race was in October 2021.
Since then many of the organisations involved have been in limbo, waiting to hear if they can return or will be relocated.
“It would be good to get this finally resolved,” said Mr Bond. “I have a lot of contacts and friends in and around the club, and word is that the plans are to build a new stadium up the hill, on the Garrison Lane side of the park, away from the railway line at the bottom. That would make sense.”
He added: “Imagine it, a racetrack for electric vehicles, in the shadow of a new football stadium, with other sports and entertainments, shops, places to eat, it would be wonderful. What a boost for Bordesley Green and the city that would be.”
He said the decontamination of the site would be a major issue. The land was formerly home to multiple brickworks and later became a ‘dumping ground’ for ‘all sorts of unsavoury things, chemicals,’ said Mr Bond.
“It will be a major exercise to clean it up totally, and I presume the Blues’ price paid will reflect that.”
A £19 million levelling up fund grant has been secured to carry out at least some of the decontamination works required.