Manchester Council Back New Speedway Venue Plans

Councillors of Manchester have given their backing to plans to build a new national speedway stadium in East Manchester, approving in principle proposals for the US$9.67m arena which would be the new home of Belle Vue Aces.

The planned construction of the Belle Vue Sports Village would also include facilities for taekwondo and basketball and are part of a wider bid to create a “global destination” for sport in the area around Eastlands.

The news was welcomed by the Manchester-based Elite League club, despite having yet to receive formal approval or planning permission, Belle Vue Aces’ managing director David Gordon stated: “It’s what we’ve been working towards for the past four years and we’re delighted to have the support of the city council.”

He added: “It will be the national speedway stadium too – we’ve had that confirmed by the Speedway Control Board.

“So it’s a major breakthrough, not just for Belle Vue but for speedway in this country.”

A new venue would see the famous Belle Vue club moving just 100m down the road from its current base on Kirkmanshulme Lane in a capacity stadium of 6,000 rising to 18,000 for major World Cup events with the addition of temporary seating.

Eddie Smith, chief executive of urban regeneration company New East Manchester, also welcomed the news, stating: “This is an important first step in bringing forward an exciting set of proposals for the Belle Vue Sports Village at Eastlands, which along with basketball and taekwondo, would include speedway.

“We recognise the heritage of speedway to this city and are determined to deliver commercially viable facilities for the sport in East Manchester.”

The speedway plans form part of a joint venture between the council and Manchester City FC to develop the area of Eastlands and Openshaw.