Oliver's Mount: Motorbike training centre plans at Scarborough race circuit rejected by council

Scarborough Council rejected a planning application that sought to use a site on Oliver’s Mount for motorcycle compulsory basic training.

The plan proposed using an area located within Oliver’s Mount known as ‘Paddock C’.

The site would have been on a motorcycle race circuit that, according to its website, is “England’s only natural ‘road’ race track” and located close to Scarborough town centre.

Submitted by Mr Graham Newbould on behalf of Scarborough Rider Training, the application was rejected on Tuesday September 20.

During the public consultation period, a lengthy objection was submitted by Oliver’s Mount Racing Limited which said that motorcycle training would “detract from the wider visual continuity of this natural escarpment” and that approval would be “to the detriment of public amenity”.

The site would have been set away from residential properties and would have been outside of the development limits for Scarborough.

Scarborough Council’s planning officers said they were “not convinced that the level of activity associated with the proposed motorcycle training use would not result in harm to nearby residents”.

Oliver’s Mount Racing also said the applicant’s supporting letter did “not take into account the periods for which we hold a licence to use this area for our events which will lead to two parties believing they have the right to use the same land at the same time”.

They added: “Racing at Oliver’s Mount brings approximately £3m per year into the local economy. This proposal puts that at risk as access to C Paddock is required three days before an event and two days after an event for set-up and take down of required infrastructure.”

However, a council report notes that “an agreement is in place” between Scarborough Rider Training, Oliver’s Mount Racing, and Scarborough Council as the landowner, which would have ensured that the “operational requirements of all parties involved are met and no conflict occurs”.

The council’s report does note, however, that “there are alternative sites available that could be used by the business”.

Planning officers also stated that the use of the proposed area for motorcycle training was “not considered compatible with this setting and surrounding environs”.