Back the Circuit of Wales, Aston Martin boss urges First Minister
The chief executive of Aston Martin has written to First Minister Carwyn Jones to express his support for the Circuit of Wales.
In the letter Andrew Palmer writes that he wants to add his “full support for this project as another valuable tool to drive economic growth in Wales”.
He adds that he can see Aston Martin using the circuit for “customer driving days, owners’ club meetings” and vehicle evaluation and testing.
It comes less than a week after it was revealed that luxury car maker TVR had also written to the First Minister urging him to back the project.
The Welsh Government is currently considering whether to underwrite the £425m racetrack project near Ebbw Vale with a £210m loan guarantee.
A decision was due last month but was delayed after ministers asked for more information from the Heads of the Valley Development Company (HoVDC), the business behind the scheme, to help it complete its due diligence.
Aston Martin is preparing to build its new DBX crossover cars at St Athan, with the first cars due to roll off the production line in 2019.
In his letter to the First Minister, Dr Palmer writes: “Thank you for your ongoing support of our project in St Athan and for attending the recent handover ceremony.
“In addition to the projects with Aston Martin and TVR, I understand you are close to a final decision on the Circuit of Wales investment. I wanted to add my full support for this project as another valuable tool to drive economic growth in Wales.
“St Athan will start production by the end of 2019 and from that time onwards I can see Aston Martin using a facility like the Circuit of Wales for customer driving days, owner club meetings and potentially some high speed and dynamic vehicle evaluation and engineering testing. I hope you are successful in bringing together the various constituents to realise the Circuit of Wales opportunity.”
A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “We have been working with the Heads of the Valleys Development Company (HoVDC) over many years to find a way to make the Circuit of Wales project work.
“Now that the HoVDC has submitted its final supporting information the Welsh Government is completing its comprehensive due diligence process on the Circuit of Wales proposal.
“Due diligence is an important part of consideration in supporting any project and is an opportunity to ensure there is a sustainable and robust business plan in place, a fair sharing of risk between the private and the public sectors and to examine the wider economic impact of the proposal. Once that work is completed cabinet will consider the project and we will announce a decision.”
The Circuit of Wales has also received support from the Wales Automotive Forum, an industry body for the automotive sector in Wales.
In a letter to Martin Whitaker, chief executive of the circuit, the head of the forum Tim Williams, writes that the motorsport complex “will place Wales firmly on the motorsport global map, attract substantial inward investment and boost tourism”.
He adds that he has received “a growing number of enquiries” from forum members who are interested in locating a business on the site.
Yesterday it was revealed that one of the world’s largest technology firms, Thales, has plans to create a research and development hub at the site of the project gets the go ahead.
Also yesterday, Plaid Cymru AM Adam Price called for the Welsh Government to move forward quickly with its decision on whether to back the project.
Mr Price said: “It is clear that a decision could be made by cabinet within the next week but the Labour Welsh Government is deliberately delaying the announcement until after June 8. People in Wales deserve better from their government, particularly when thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions pounds of investment are at stake.”
The Welsh Government said: “Once the due diligence work on this application is completed it will go to cabinet as soon as possible for their decision.”
A spokesperson added: “Any suggestion that we should short circuit the rigorous process of due diligence that we have put in place for this project would be both irresponsible and reckless.”
Earlier this week Mr Price called for an investigation into how the Welsh Government responded to the Wales Audit Office report into its handling of the circuit project.
He asked for an investigation under the ministerial code after Economy Secretary Ken Skates confirmed officials had received notice of the intended publication date of the report several weeks before it was published. Mr Price also called for the First Minister to take direct responsibility for the project.
The Welsh Government said it had received Mr Price’s correspondence and would reply in due course.