Monday 19th January 2009

Croft Circuit Facing Closure

Future of the Northern race track hangs in the balance

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Organisers at Croft circuit, near Darlington, fear that if a recent court decision is not overturned, the famous circuit could soon face closure.

A family living next to the track reportedly won a case forcing Croft's owners to pay £150,000 compensation, as well as an estimated £700,000 in legal costs. The damages were apparently for loss of quality of life that the family's barristers claimed had been caused by the noise of cars on the circuit.

Interestingly, the complaint was not about organised race events, which only take place on approximately 50 days each year, but instead regarded vehicle testing days and open track days.

Organisers at Croft fear that if this decision is upheld, many similar cases will follow, and the financial blow could prove fatal. An appeal against the decision was heard last week at the Court of Appeal in London, but as yet no decision has been reached.

Meanwhile, the family concerned also attempted to gain an injunction restricting activity at Croft to just 40 days-per-year. The judge is said to have refused this request, but the claimants are cross-appealing this decision.

Croft circuit grew out of a disused RAF base first raced on in the 1920s, before being used by the airforce again in World War 2. Since then it has grown into an world-famous racing circuit, hosting various club events, as well as British Touring Car Championship and British Superbike Championship rounds.

The circuit generates an estimated £3m a year for the local economy, with its visitors bringing activity to local businesses.

Dennis Carter, director of organising body Croft-Promo-Sport, told The Northern Echo: 'Our future really depends on what the court decides. I do not want to sound too alarmist because I would like to think we can still find a way through this. The people at Croft do a fantastic job for us and I would really like it to continue.'

[jagdpanther]

It would be interesting to find out how long the family in question has been living nearby seeing as Croft has been in regular use for donkeys years.

The thing that gets me is that with all the financial crap going down at the moment, you would think the locals realised that the amount of money Croft actually brings into the area is quite important and should be much welcomed...but nope.

All you get is people pissing and whining!!

Personally I think Croft as a spectator circuit could be vastly improved from parking to facilities to vantage points, but it's a good circuit for racing

[BelperJim]

Seriously I would love to hear the noise of cars all day!

[jagdpanther]

BelperJim said:

Seriously I would love to hear the noise of cars all day!

Maybe not all day, but you would expect it when moving near someting like Croft

Thing is, the cars are now limited, but the NIMBY prats aren't happy with that

[varsas]

Could this set a precedent for all circuits? And airfields? The circuit was there before they moved in (I presume) they don't have a leg to stand on.

[ROB1979]

So let me get this straight, these people moved in next door to a race circuit and didn't expect to hear car noise, are they totally retarded!!!

Sounds like they've been watching too many ''where there's blame, there's a claim'' adverts!

The judge should have only considered the case if they had moved in before the said circuit was built which in this case is highly unlikely.

[H22K]

I have it on good authority that the couple complaining moved there years after the circuit was used as race track...oh yes and are the parents of the circuit owners ex girlfriend...

[ginettag27]

The PH massive needs to move to save Croft!! What's the best (i.e. route with the most chance of success or impact) way of doing this?

I to cannot believe it!! It's woeful.

[jeremyc]

Repost.

[eLSerbera]

surely some form of compromise should be reached??

Its not like it is impossible to find a solution which would allow the track to continue to operate and the home owners not be to effected by operations?

£150k must buy an awful lot of sound deadening materials, surely they could have installed some motorway style sound blocking equipment?

700k legal costs - whered that come from? -how big are the claimants legal team?!

Be interested in the details like how close the house is to the track...

Maybe another alternative could be to buy the house off the claimants and turn it into a track side hotel?

[eddie1980]

How could we do this, I would be interested in some constructive suggestions, all I can think of is turning up outside the couple in questions house armed with pitch forks and burning sticks.

[Dr KT]

Blood boiler.

The circuit has been there for years- and before hand it was a WW2 base- at what point does moving next door to a circuit raise alarm bells of noise!

[russellwatson17]

With 700k of legal cost the people aren't gonna give up that easily!

[BelperJim]

I used to live right next to a train track I never tried to sue the train company. I just can't understand the logic behind it. Why haven't the courts said you moved there its your problem. I just don't understand!

[darth_pies]

There's a railway line a few hundred yards from my house and i can hear the trains going past at all times of the day, 365 days a year.

Can i now sue the train operator for damaging my quality of life?

[darth_pies]

BelperJim said:

I used to live right next to a train track I never tried to sue the train company. I just can't understand the logic behind it. Why haven't the courts said you moved there its your problem. I just don't understand!

Ahhh, great minds eh!

[crossle]

To be fair, as I recall, Croft fell into disuse as an active racing circuit for many years.

If I'd moved into a house next to a completely disused racetrack, expecting it to be redeveloped into housing, or whatever, and it suddenly became fully active track again, I might be a bit peeved...

I hope some Croft expert will come and prove me wrong, in which case we can all go round to the moaner's house and boil them in Duckhams finest...

(ETA - Croft closed for racing in 1981, reopening in 1997. residents have been complaining about the noise since 2000...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croft_Circuit

[juansolo]

darth_pies said:

There's a railway line a few hundred yards from my house and i can hear the trains going past at all times of the day, 365 days a year.

Can i now sue the train operator for damaging my quality of life?

If they can get away with this, then I honestly don't see why not.

[BelperJim]

juansolo said:

darth_pies said:

There's a railway line a few hundred yards from my house and i can hear the trains going past at all times of the day, 365 days a year.

Can i now sue the train operator for damaging my quality of life?

If they can get away with this, then I honestly don't see why not.

Birds aswell they wake me up all the time ruining my quality of life. Who do I sue in that circumstance.

[R5GTTGAZ]

juansolo said:

darth_pies said:

There's a railway line a few hundred yards from my house and i can hear the trains going past at all times of the day, 365 days a year.

Can i now sue the train operator for damaging my quality of life?

If they can get away with this, then I honestly don't see why not.

If you moved into your house pre 1860 then you might have a case?

[juansolo]

crossle said:

To be fair, as I recall, Croft fell into disuse as an active racing circuit for many years.

If I'd moved into a house next to a completely disused racetrack, expecting it to be redeveloped into housing, or whatever, and it suddenly became fully active track again, I might be a bit peeved...

I hope some Croft expert will come and prove me wrong, in which case we can all go round to the moaner's house and boil them in Duckhams finest...

(ETA - Croft closed for racing in 1981, reopening in 1997. residents have been complaining about the noise since 2000...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Croft_Circuit

It's all detaled in the court case transcript on the other thread. Makes interesting reading.