Owner of popular go-kart track 'disappointed' as Blackpool Council planners axe business because it is 'not high quality'

Blackpool Council planners threw out a planning application for the Karting 2000 Raceway to continue operating on South Promenade because it would have an ‘unacceptable, long-term impact on the appearance and quality of the setting of a locally listed heritage asset (South Pier), and on strategic views of the seafront and coastline’.

This is despite the fact that the go-karting track was relocated to the area by the Council itself in 2010 to allow for the building of the Starr Gate tram depot the following year.

David Turton, who has owned the go-karting track since 1987, said: “I’m disappointed we can’t carry on. It’s like a kick in the teeth. We have always paid our rent to the council. We’ve never really put a foot wrong.

“The only thing I can think is that somebody is interested in using that patch of land. But that’s only a hunch.”

Rejecting Mr Turton’s application last week, the planning committee said: ‘As proposed, the development does not present a high-quality tourist attraction. As such, its retention on a permanent basis would undermine ongoing efforts to regenerate the resort and be detrimental to the character and function of this area of the Promenade.”

But David said the 34-year-old raceway was a popular tourist hotspot, attracting thousands of customers each year.

“When we were at Starr Gate, we used to get teenagers coming to the track, and now we have these teenagers coming back as adults with their own kids,” he said, adding that the committee’s comments on the quality of the raceway were ‘below the belt’.

Other objections to the raceway came from the Blackpool Civic Trust, which argued that the attraction went against planning guidelines for no developments west of the tram tracks.

A statement submitted on behalf of the Pleasure Beach, meanwhile, said approval of the application would set an ‘unacceptable precedent for development on the Prom which should remain free from development beyond that which already lawfully exists’.

It is the second time in recent years that the world-famous park has complained about rival attractions in the area. In 2018, when the Blackpool Pier Company sought permission to continue running its log flume, a Pleasure Beach representative said the ride would undermine the viability of the park.

The pier company’s application was eventually refused by the council. At the time, pier owner Peter Sedgwick accused planners of 'favouring' the Pleasure Beach.

David said: “It appears to me that the Pleasure Beach seems to object to anything on the other side of the tram lines.

“The Pleasure Beach closes at 5pm, and any attraction operating after that is going to get business from customers that come to the town - and there are a lot of people who do visit in the evenings. If they come and there’s nothing for them to do, they’re not likely to come back."

The Council also cited changes to reports placing the land in a flood risk zone - but David said the track has never flooded, and has only sustained some wind damage in the past.

He said: “Our last summer was successful because a lot of people didn’t go abroad, a lot of them holidayed in the UK and came to Blackpool. The go-karting track is a real favourite for young boys; if a family comes here on holiday they’ll end up coming every day.

“We used to do a lot of stag dos, where we would organise a grand prix for the group like a miniature Formula One race, and there was always a lot of good banter. Every business has its ups and downs, but that kind of thing, I will miss.”

BLACKPOOL COUNCIL SAID:

Alan Cavill, Blackpool Council Director of Communications and Regeneration, said: “The council assisted the move of the Go-Karting attraction in 2009 to facilitate the development of the tram depot.

“We made it clear at that time that we would allow its operation on a temporary basis to give them the opportunity to propose a higher quality scheme and appearance.

“These proposals have not been forthcoming despite our flexibility and patience over a number of years.

“There is a lot of regeneration work being undertaken in Blackpool to make the town better for all and the Promenade is very much a key part of this as it is one of the focal points in our town. In addition, the emerging local plan seeks to tighten restrictions on development west of the tram track further in order to maintain the open views over the sea so despite our previous efforts to encourage the Go-Karting operation to submit proposals we took the decision to refuse future operation.”

The Pleasure Beach refused to comment.

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