Go-kart track application stalls despite support from councillors
Company told to come back with more evidence of office building’s suitability
PROPOSALS for a go-karting track inside an empty office building in Farnborough have been rejected, but the applicant was told they would be likely to succeed if they returned with more evidence to support the bid.
TeamSport submitted plans for the indoor track in Invincible Road in early June and presented it to members of Rushmoor Borough Council’s newly-named development management committee for a decision last Wednesday evening.
However, the plans came with a recommendation for rejection due to the fact the building is designated a key employment site under the council’s core strategy for the borough.
The site, formerly a Royal Mail sorting office, has been empty for two years.
The council’s planning policies state that there should be enough space reserved for industrial growth, even if alternative uses would fill vacant space.
This irked some members of the committee, who backed the karting bid.
Councillor Don Cappleman said: “I sometimes get confused about what is key employment. I thought the idea was to get people into employment and I thought sport would count as employment. If it’s been empty for two years then surely the overriding need is to get something in there.”
TeamSport previously operated a track in Frimley until the site was closed for redevelopment of the Home Park site in May. The company runs 12 tracks across the UK.
Managing director Dominic Gaynor said the Invincible Road building was ‘the only suitable site we’ve found’, adding that no interest had been declared in it by other tenants, meaning it could be left empty for a long time, having already been on the market for two years.
“We would be creating 38 jobs for staff, many of whom live in Rushmoor,” he said. “Our proposal will not result in any harm and I hope councillors will take into account the wider benefits.”
There was enough support in the room to see the plans passed, however members were reminded by officers that failure to stick to policies would leave the council under pressure to bend the rules for other similar plans.
One of these is the KFC application for the former Northgate Van Hire premises in North Close, Aldershot, which was turned down in May despite the fast food giant’s argument that the 50 jobs it would create should overrule the council’s policies. Councillor Bruce Thomas said: “We’re caught in Solomon’s Judgement. We’re in support of the application and yet we’re blowing a hole in our own policy. We can guarantee that KFC will refer to this if we approve.” A compromise was reached as members voted to defer the decision to allow TeamSport to present more evidence to prove the site is the only one suitable and that no other interest has been declared in it.