LYDDEN HILL WON’T RUN CLUB RACE MEETINGS

No circuit racing events for 2016 after new noise order

Lydden Hill Circuit is not scheduled to hold any club race events this season.

A combination of rising costs due to an Fia-required multimillion pound improvement and a new noise abatement order has made it difficult for clubs to host events at the Kent track.

Last year, just two club meetings were scheduled at the venue, both organised by the BARC’S South East Centre. One of those events was cancelled because of the rising costs.

Now the introduction of a 100-decibel noise limit from the local council has prevented the club from returning. Lydden formerly had a limit of 105db.

“The noise limit makes it difficult,” said BARC SE’S competitions secretary Rod Birley. “The new limit is considerably lower and is a reduction of about 30 per cent.

“Drivers won’t pay to modify their cars for just a single round, especially when they have to buy Front Head Restraint [or HANS] devices this season. We love Lydden, and in modern racing if a venue isn’t used it closes and we don’t want that. We’d love to return in 2017, but some hurdles have to be removed first.”

Lydden’s noise restriction does have a three-day exception, meaning the world RX round is safe. But the track’s calendar otherwise is sparse. Track bosses have submitted a further planning application for additional developments as they hope to diversify activities to generate additional income.

Track head Pat Doran told MN: “We’ve been working with the local authority and community to try and get the best for everyone, but the noise abatement order was a big thing as it has reduced what we can do.

“I think we can find a way forward and the club race meetings can return. We invited everyone to come and we’re certainly not turning people away [from running events].” Additional reporting by Kerry Dunlop and Rob Ladbrook. Lydden’s new fight, page 26