tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36654669.post-13668590854109806452007-11-14T13:26:00.000+01:002007-11-14T14:31:08.350+01:00An application to vary the conditions for the Speedway at the Greyhound Stadium has caused some controversy in the neighbourhood.<br /><br />Amongst other things the application asks for eight additional Sundays, including four bank holiday weekends. It also asks for the removal of the requirement for noise monitoring that was placed on the organisers.<br /><br />Speedway was given a two year temporary permission until September 2009. The application has been useful because it has enabled residents to be consulted on their experience of the first season - and, unfortunately, many are not happy at all.<br /><br />It was hoped that the new speedway format would see less noise impact, especially as there are now developments closer to the stadium than there were originally, such as Nash Square and the UCE (sorry, Birmingham City University) halls of residence.<br /><br />As well as letters we have received visits at our advice bureaux from groups of residents and have also had some telephone calls.<br /><br />The following are some of the comments I have submitted to planning on this matter.<br /><br />Jon Hunt<br /><br />"Further to my initial comments on this application I would like to reiterate my concern.<br />I will be forwarding to you today a number of letters I have received from local residents, five objecting to the variation and one supporting it. I understand that a number of petitions have been submitted through a colleague...<br />In terms of the detail of the application I object to the removal of the requirement for noise monitoring.<br />I have received some explanation from Speedway of the reasons for the application and hope to discuss this with them more in the near future.<br />However I am concerned that there should be no extension of the time during which noise from the event may be experienced in the neighbourhood. There should also be no increase in the number of Sundays on which events are held.<br />The consultation on this application has raised real issues in the neighbourhood about the impact of speedway. Prior to the original application there was of course no experience of the event in its current form. Given that much of this summer was wet and rainy this is quite disappointing and suggests a long dry summer might cause significantly more problems..<br />An example of comments from residents is: "Although I expected some noise..I was totally unprepared for the sheer volume that would be produced" (400 yds from stadium)<br />I hope the result of this consultation might be to provoke further work to address and resolve these issues.<br />Councillor Jon Hunt"Perry Barr Focus Teamhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06983773583428574318noreply@blogger.com