Mineral Extraction at Brooklands
Mineral Extraction at Brooklands
It was announced at the recent Brooklands Society Reunion in June that the purchase of the “40 Acres” site at Brooklands by Gallaher Ltd. has greatly furthered Brooklands Track Ltd.’s plan for the establishment of a living museum of transport. This museum will go a long may towards safeguarding the heritage of Brooklands for the nation. The .40 Acres” site includes the Clubhouse, Members Hill and Members Banking on the Weybridge side of the River Wey. Just across the river on the Byfieet side of the Track lies the large grassy open space Runway area familiar to Reunion visitors and those who know the Track alike (and incidentally featured in the current Leyland TV commercial). Sadly it has now also become familiar to the dead hand of bureaucracy which has incorporated the entire 131 acre historic site into the recently published North West Surrey Minerals Extraction Se Restoration Plan. The plan also covers a number of other NW Surrey sites and says of Brooklands — “There are no overriding objections to mineral
working on this site. . Both The Brooklands Society and Brooklands Track Ltd. beg to differ! Publication of this Plan has caused such an uproar in the local community that a public enquiry was helck commencing mid-October in Chertsey. As anyone who lives near a sand and gravel pit will know only too well, the damage done to the environment is irrepairable and the pit itself is noisy and very messy. Worse still in Brooklands’ case, the pit if allowed would be a permanent disaster to the motoring and aviation heritage of this country. Brooklands, the first motor racing track in the world and birthplace of British aviation, surely deserves a better fate than this?
A strong case against mineral extraction has been prepared for presentation to the Enquiry. But it will very greatly strengthen our case to show that support for us is large and not just confined to the Weybridge area. May I therefore appeal for the help of your readers? Please write to me stating briefly that you oppose mineral extraction at Brooklands. The address is, c.lo Rees Brothers, Elms Road, Aldershot, Hants.
This plan most be stopped, and with your help it can be done. Aldershot A. N. CHILD