CRADLEY SPEEDWAY BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD

22-01-2008

Hopes for the revival of one of the great names in Black Country sport – Cradley Heathens Speedway Club – have been dashed. An application for a new stadium on green belt land in Wollescote has been withdrawn after running into opposition from residents.

In a release on the club’s website, promoter Tony Mole – who was instrumental in reviving the Birmingham Brummies at Perry Barr – blamed Dudley Council’s intransigence at a long-awaited crunch meeting.

"After seeking discussions with them for over six months, the meeting finally clarified the full list of Council stipulations,” Mole said.

“These were considerably more extensive than previously indicated in correspondence and included the potential provision of a large additional payment to them, which would have made the project uneconomical.

“In addition, the likely restrictions on development would have made it impossible to provide the standard of facilities that supporters have a right to expect.

"Whilst we still feel that Oldnall Road could provide an acceptable location for the reintroduction of Speedway, this would require the full support of the Council and it became clear at the meeting that we were very unlikely to achieve this.

“On that basis, we have reluctantly decided to withdraw the Planning Application.”

This doesn’t let the Council entirely off the hook, though.