More than 20 objections have been raised for plans to allow motocross events to be held at any time of the year, near the Boomtown site.

Should the application be approved, it would mean events could be held outside the current timeframe of August 1 to October 15.

The original plan, submitted in 2008, was refused by Winchester City Council but was overturned on appeal in 2010.

The new application has been submitted to the South Downs National Park Authority. 

Objectors say that removing the restriction would impact the skylarks that nest on the ground.

The application, for Matterley Bowl Motocross, Petersfield Road, has had 21 objecting and one supporting comment.

The site is well-liked by Motocross fans and has staged the British Motocross Grand Prix and Motocross of Nations, dubbed the 'Olympics of MX'.

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The objection from Cheriton Parish Council said: “The parish council notes that the authority has not considered the 'whole development' and contends that the 'whole development' must include not merely the approved site of 5.55 Ha used for the race track but all land used for other event purposes including vehicle parking, camping, entertainment, catering and amenities for which permission has never existed. The size of this additional land is influenced by the number of attendees, which is unrestricted by existing and proposed conditions.”

Christopher Napier, from CPRE Hampshire, said: “Having regard to past practice we consider a limit of two events per year, a maximum number attending of 6,000, and an overall noise limit would be appropriate and reasonable. We are advised that confining events to the period August 1 to October 15 will conserve ground-nesting birds.”

Susan Herdman, of Raebarn Close, Cheriton, said: “I am uncertain how an international motocross event fits within the values of a national park but I understand that permission to run the event already exists. It is vital therefore to ensure that any conditions limit the number of events, limit the timing of the event to minimise disruption to wildlife on the site and the experience of other visitors to the park and limit attendance figures.”

A supporting comment from Itchen Valley Parish Council said: “We support the application to update the existing planning permission, granted on appeal in 2010, in the light of experience, the National Park status and the SDNP local plan adopted in 2019. This should avoid the need for the temporary amendments made by the applicant.”

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In the planning statement Richard Goodall, director of Advoco Planning, said: “The permanent planning permission for the motocross track was granted on appeal in 2010 and has been the subject of multiple amendments which have typically, but not exclusively, been sought on an event-by-event basis and therefore annually. Motocross events have taken place each year, and generally only one annually. 

“The events are widely, though not universally, well received locally and are not the subject of any significant complaints on noise, traffic or disruption grounds. In addition, having the event early in the year creates a better distribution of events across the estate and aid the greening of the track afterwards. 

“The applicant's main priority is to agree a suite of planning safeguards which provide the necessary safeguards while providing some flexibility to host events without the need for continually varying the terms of the original planning approval.”

To read more about the plans online, search SDNP/22/05968/CND on the South Downs National Park planning portal.