Lude Generation

I did a little research and planning permission has been applied for to change the usage of the a local kart track for storage/self storage uses only, this was applied for in July of this year.

It's been a kart track since 93(?) on and off I believe. I've had a quick skim through the application and it appears that the Kart track would no longer be in use at all. According to the internet it is the ONLY go karting track in England which has both an indoor and outdoor track. It's one of, if not the, best kart track locally. Located in Caxton, Cambridgeshire. (Formerly known as Kartsport Cambridgeshire)

http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/.../run/WPHAP ... DisplayUrl...

http://plan.scambs.gov.uk/.../MediaTemp ... 493402.pdf

In the planning application it seems to me to imply that the current usage of the site as a kart track is 'detrimental' to highway safety?! To me taking away another place for people to safely and legally race is almost encouraging them to do it on public roads rather than making them safer by giving people somewhere cheap and fun to use.

"This application seeks to demonstrate that allowing the change of use would bring this currently vacant site back into economic use, therefore creating valuable employment opportunities to the local economy, without representing an increase in the use of the site, including its access, when compared with the permitted use of the site, which could otherwise be detrimental to the character of the area, residential amenity or highway safety."


Can anyone help? How would I go about appealing this, and can anyone unscramble the legal bollocks to put it in simple short terms?

What is the status of the application on the planning portal? Normally a verdict is reached after 8 weeks so is it currently in the appeals process?

Wording aside, it just sounds like somebody who owns a kart track which is no longer financially viable to operate is looking to find a way to use his premises that will make a profit? I can't say I have any local knowledge of the matter though, I'm just going by the above. The links weren't working for me btw?

*edit

The road safety part is talking about implications of customers accessing the site, it's not to do with what happens on site. So they're saying that the new use will not create an increased risk to road traffic through customers accessing the site, than compared to it's current use.

Neither of the links worked for me.

It seems that the track is closed now, anyway, and I can't find that anyone is planning to re-open it. Is this the case?
This could mean that the change of use would be approved if it can show economic benefits to the area, especially if it offers jobs that aren't there at the moment.

I don't think that the wording does imply that the current use is detrimental. If you delete the "when compared" part in commas (or put it in parentheses), you can see how it's intended to be read.

They seem to be arguing that a self-storage facility wouldn't bring any more traffic than a karting centre would and wouldn't adversely affect the site or the area.

Sorry to seem negative, but I can't see how an appeal would succeed unless either
a) karting was due to make a return to the site.
b) the local authority has a choice between self-storage and something they'd prefer.

What sort of enterprises are nearby? Google maps suggests that it doesn't have any next door neighbours.

Money money money!