UK government slams non-government funded Donington Park for being weak compared to government funded circuits in other countries.

Designs for Britain's future home of Formula One racing have been branded "weak" in a Government report, it was revealed today.

The Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment's (Cabe) design review said the proposed scheme at Donington Park reflected "a poor understanding of the site and the opportunities it offers".

Owner Simon Gillett was granted planning permission to revamp the site by North West Leicestershire District Council earlier this month.

Gillett, via his company Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd, signed a 10-year agreement with F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone last summer after Silverstone stalled over a new deal.

Silverstone, which has staged the British Grand Prix since 1987, is due to host its final race in June before Donington Park ushers in a supposedly new era for the event.

But the review by Cabe, carried out in December, has been less than positive about the proposed improvements by architects Tilke GMBH.

Its report said: "We think Donington Park could provide an exceptional setting for the British Grand Prix and we welcome the proposal to develop new facilities for Formula One on this site to represent Great Britain on the world stage.

"However, the scheme reflects a poor understanding of the site and the opportunities it offers."

It said unless a comprehensive masterplan and landscape strategy were present in the redevelopment, Donington Park would "continue to suffer from piecemeal and poorly co-ordinated racetrack development".

The report added: "The material presented gave us little confidence that a bold architectural vision had been developed for this facility to showcase Britain's racing pedigree and create at Donington Park a racetrack of global standing to match Formula One's most recent tracks in Bahrain, China and Malaysia designed by the same team that are working at Donington.

"The proposal represents a missed opportunity for Donington Park and we urge the design team to address the concerns raised below before planning permission is granted.

"Without the benefit of an overarching plan that pro-actively considers the long-term implications of hosting Formula One alongside other international racing events, the likelihood is that Donington Park will continue to be developed in a haphazard, piecemeal fashion."

But Donington Park circuit owner Gillett today said they were aware of the Cabe document and its recommendations at the time of the planning hearing.

He said many issues raised were considered within their own six-month planning phase and would continue to be addressed on an ongoing basis.

He said: "While we recognise Cabe's expertise on design and town planning, Donington Park is not a town, and our singular aim - to become the world's leading race circuit - led us to appoint the world leader in F1 circuit design.

"Tilke GMBH is a company that has worked on the majority of outstanding motorsport circuits worldwide and understands the requirements and compromises that have to be made to deliver a fully functional, workable, deliverable and yet still very striking Grand Prix circuit.

"Ultimately, our aim is the same as it has always been: deliver on time and to the highest standards of quality.

"The proof of that will be on the completion of the project in 2010, rather than on flat drawings in a design office."

Really makes me angry, if they want a facility as good as the ones in Asia that F1 go to then they have to provide some investment.

Lol @ the thread title. Completely agree though, why complain when they refused to back the circuit in the first place.

The least the UK government could do is partly fund the new facilities. It's bringing much needed jobs and interest to the area around Donington.

Yes slightly hypocritical from a government who apart from a few empty words have systematically failed to do anything to support the British Grand Prix, be it at Silverstone, Brands Hatch or Donington.

You could argue, why should the government invest in the Grand Prix, tax payers money etc. But it brings in business to the industry and therefore has potential for the market.

That and they had no qualms about pouring out billions for the Olympics. A little support in the Grand Prix would have cost them a fraction of that cost.

Presuambly this is the same government that allows people to move in near Croft then complain about the noise in abid t get back at her former husband.

And then WIN in court!

Oh and the same government that keeps pouting billions of pounds into the banks only for them to ask for some more a few weeks later and also allows them to pay £9M in bonus' to their staff...

Ahh but lets not lose sight of the fact that Labour is "The Working Mans Party" i.e the one for the people !!

Don't make me F*&^ing laugh !!!

If they care about the only sport we are world leaders in then they should put their money (or our money as it is) where their mouth is. It would be far better than blowing money on an Olympics nobody wants or a National stadium in the wrong place that's delivered late and way over budget !! Grrrr don't get me started

*leaves for a lie down with the psychiatrist*



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2009 09:33PM by Damas.

its a pity that governments don't seem to care about f1 in a lot of developed countries at the moment...

britain, france and australia spring to mind, the USA as well, but they never really liked f1 that much


whereas countries like spain are going crazy and building two or three tracks a year that are probably better than nearly all the tracks in the already mentioned countries


EDIT: i doubt it will get any better in the future, with climate change and oil sure to be big issues. it would be easy for some to criticise a government that tries to stop climate change, but spends millions on motorsport.

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X (@ed24f1)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2009 09:45PM by SchueyFan.

The British Government made it's stance quite clear a few years ago that it would not fund or help fund the British Grand Prix ... any where. For it now to brand Donington Park's efforts to keep a race in Britain as weak is hypocritical beyond belief. However, I suspect that this Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment is one of these Quangos (Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organization) that the British institution is famous for and has no influence or bearing on anything at all.



5 x WCC - S5, S6, S7, S8, S10 | 4 x WDC - S5 Nick van der Voort ; S6, S7, S8 Ed Greenhalgh | 2 x WTC - S6 Stuart Ingers; S8 Andrei Sevastian

This is not a Government report. It is a report written by CABE to the Government.

CABE is interested only in the architectural and built aspects of building developments. All they are saying, and all they are qualified to say, is that the Donington development is not utilising the space as well as it could from an architectural and long term built environment perspective. They can't comment on the other aspects of the development.

The scale of the development, and its planning permission, is the responsibility of NE Leicestershire District Council.



RedSam
Winner: Not the Nickv Comment of the Year 2009
Due to the voting system in Germany, Governments are always made up of coalitions of different parties. At the last election, an almost unprecidented result saw the CDU/CSU (rough equivilant of the Conservatives) go into Government with the SPD (rough equivilant of Labour)

While the new circuits and facilities in China and Malaysia et all are wonderful, I actually find them boring from a tv spectator point of view. The circuit themselves are generally boring and they all seem to have the same leviathan stadiums and sleek pit buildings.

The older circuits have the charm and the history. I'm thinking of stuff like the tower at the end of the straight at Imola and the Autosport Stand at Silverstone. You can say I'm clinging to the old times, that F1 has to move on and undoubtedly the drivers themselves probably prefer the better facilities in the newer circuits, but I think F1 would do well to hold on to its heritage and not to treat its fan bases with contempt.

Besides, in China and Malaysia and Bahrain, it is far cheaper to carry out this kind of project.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2009 02:47AM by The Lopper.

The Autosport tower at Silverstone got knocked down some years ago now. But I know what you mean.

Amazingly I hadn't even noticed it was knocked, just watched an onboard with Lewis Hamilton there and saw that it is indeed gone. Ah well. Perhaps I admired it most from passing it so often in GP3/GP4



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/24/2009 05:20PM by The Lopper.

You would think that like Spain, Britain would capitalise on the buzz created by a world champion driver to raise interest in F1 and sport in general, especially among teenagers like me. However, unless something is a complete waste of money, Labour won't spend on it. I think we should start our own GPG political party!

I think we should start our own GPG political party!

Hmmm, something from the ashes of the old GPG Elections then?

jbnd05 Wrote:
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> However, unless something is a complete waste of
> money, Labour won't spend on it.


Awesome quote.

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