Author: Oli Rushby Posted: 05 Sep 2015
Circuit of Wales boss Michael Carrick has hit out at critics of the £315 million project, claiming the financial backing has already been pledged with building work set to start before the end of the end of the year.
The Circuit of Wales has come under fire since details of the project first surfaced in 2013 and several delays to the start of construction work have led to further doubt that the circuit will be built, despite having signed a deal to host MotoGP.
Without a circuit for the first year of their MotoGP contract, the Circuit of Wales covered the cost for the British Grand Prix to be held at Silverstone, where it will remain next year with the Ebbw Vale circuit not expected to be ready until 2017.
However, following the news that the Welsh Deputy Minister for Farming and Food is ‘minded to grant the S16 application’ for deregistering the common land, a key step forward for the project, Circuit of Wales bosses have hit out at these critics.
“First it’s that we’re not going to get planning consent, then it’s were going to lose interest, then it’s we’re not going to get approval on the deregistration, then we’re not going to get Dorna to come, then we’re not going to get a world class contractor to delver; I think we’re a little bit tired of people putting up constant negative criticism about what we’re going to do and deliver in this project,” said Michael Carrick, Chief Executive of the group behind the Circuit of Wales, talking to the BBC.
“I think we should be focusing on would it not come, why would investors not be attracted to it and why would it not create the enterprise and economic growth we’re seeking to achieve.
“The money is not one of the significant challenges we’ve had. One of the more significant challenges we’ve had is environmental and planning consent and we’ve achieved that.
“This is going to a world-class automotive hub that is going to anchor the growth of automotive activity in Wales. It will be the best automotive facility in Europe, it will be the most exciting and exhilarating race circuit in the United Kingdom, it will be the home of British motorsport and it will be a significant long term regeneration opportunity for the Welsh Valleys.”
According to BBC Wales, Carrick claims that the money required for the project has all been pledged and it is now a case of finalising more formal agreements with investors.
A Circuit of Wales representative told Bike Social at Silverstone that construction is now expected to begin next month, with the British Grand Prix to be held at the circuit from summer 2017.
What's your view on the Circuit of Wales project?
Share on social media:
