Speedway could return to Swindon at New Motorsports Hub near M4

On By Littum

A consultation is opened in draft plans to bring Speedway back to a Wiltshire city.

Swindon Motorsports LTD, a joint venture between Swindon Speedway and Gaming International, hoping to create a motorsports hub at Studley Grange, near Junction 16 of the M4.

The site will include a racing specification card cycle and would act as the new home for the Swindon Robins Speedway team.

Terry Russell, President of Swindon Motorsports and Swindon Speedway, said “months of hard work” had led to this point and he hopes to get motorsport in the city “Go again”.

“We have secured a 99-year-old lease on the ground to secure a long-standing home for the club,” Russell told BBC Radio Wiltshire.

Swindon has not hosted Speedway meetings since 2019, When the Covid-19 pandemic stopped the 2020 season.

The new motorsport’s hub will include a number of commercial, business and leisure facilities- including a food and beverages and an arena for multiple use with an expandable capacity of up to 3,000.

The site will also include a complex of business units for office, meeting and workshop and parking space, including charging electrical vehicles.

Mr. Russell said that behind the plans would create a motorsport hub that was no “longer than 40 minutes drive from the current stadium”.

He said their idea was to start small with the hope of expanding the plans in the future.

Mr. Russell said they hope to submit a planning application to Wiltshire Council this spring.

“It’s possible in 2026 – it just depends when we first got the application in how long it takes,” he added.

Mr. Russell said the site was ideal for the sport as it is “away from everywhere”, which hopefully reduces the chance of noise complaints.

He also said he was aware that the project would cost money, but felt it could be the only chance of getting the speedway to happen again in the non-so-so-far future.

“Of course, it has always been difficult to find land and an owner who is prepared to take it,” he said.

“If of course we have to start again it would be difficult.”

The Public consultation On the draft, the proposals are open until 23 February.