Hi everyone, apologies, but it's a bit of a call to arms and we are asking the speedway community to help us on the current Birmingham Local Plan. So Birmingham Council have issued for consultation "The Birmingham Local Plan Regulation 19 Publication Plan" which closes 24th September 2026 This plan is designed to hit their housing targets for the next 18 years. In that plan is Policy GZ14, within that policy is paragraph 19.10. This paragraph references the the demolition of Perry Barr Stadium. It states "Efforts are being made to develop replacement speedway provision at an alternative venue" and "The long term lease holder is exploring options for the future of the site". This isn't water tight enough to keep Birmingham Speedway. We need to stop this plot of land being made available for redevelopment in housing. This is where we are begging for your help. We need to get the wording changed in Policy GZ14 19.10 and unfortunately they don't have an email facility, it needs to be through the Birmingham Council Consultation Portal. Portal found here: https://consult.birmingham.gov.uk/kse/   So, when you have a spare couple of hours, it's easier on a lap top, a phone can be a bit more clunky (not impossible) using the portal. Click the link above Click "Go to Event" on the Birmingham Local Plan Regulation 19 Publication Plan. This will open a 180 page document. There will be lots of add comments on the right hand side. If on a mobile press the word "Proposal" to view the document and not the headings. Press on of the "Add Comments" and register on the protal. Once registered it'll take you back to the document. You can either scroll down very laboriously until you get to GZ14 and within that section the paragraph 19.10 If on a mobile you could look for "Perry Barr" in the contents and click the ">" icon, to zoom to GZ14. Dont press anything else, you come out of the document and have to re-press go to event again. If on a laptop press the word Perry Barr, not the ">" as again it'll push you out of the document, it really is that user friendly. Look for the paragraph 19.10 and click add comment, one the next screen the paragraph contents should be displayed at the top.   Populate your Name, Email, Commenting on behalf of myself, agree to the terms and conditions, agree to the private policy. Press "Next" First Box, Do you considered the plan to be legally compliant. "Click Yes". Second Box, Sound. "Select No". Please provide details of why you consider the local plan is not legally compliant or is unsound. Here you need to add something like "in GZ14 19.10 you must not develop Perry Barr Stadium to anything other than a venue or facility for the Birmingham Brummies to race speedway".  Next box is Please set out the modifications you consider necessary......... Here you need to add something on the lines of "Perry Barr Stadium must not be redeveloped unless an alternative venue or land is found, and Birmingham Speedway are using that alternative venue to race speedway. Next select no to participate Select Save Then press submit     Thanks for reading!   To help this was a draft google ai prepared for me, you could draw inspiration from it.   I am writing to formally object to the proposed site allocation of Perry Barr Stadium for housing development within the Birmingham Local Plan Regulation 19 Publication Plan. The plan as currently drafted is not sound because it fails the tests of being justified and consistent with national policy regarding the protection and replacement of community sporting infrastructure. ·        No Evidence of Surplus: The historic Perry Barr Stadium—a vital community hub hosting the Birmingham Brummies Speedway alongside other sports—is demonstrably not surplus to requirements. It remained highly utilized, and there is clear, ongoing demand for speedway racing in the city. ·        No Equivalent or Concrete Replacement Provided: The wording in the Publication Plan explicitly states that "Efforts are currently being made to develop replacement Speedway provision at an alternative venue." This is an admission that no replacement venue has been identified, secured, or evaluated for viability. The Allocation is Not "Justified" Relying on an aspirational statement that "efforts are being made" does not constitute robust evidence. Allowing the allocation to go forward without a legally binding, identified, and allocated replacement site creates an unacceptable risk that a major regional sport and heritage asset will be permanently lost to Birmingham without any alternative ever materialising. It fails to guarantee the continuity of social and sports infrastructure required to sustain healthy, vibrant communities. 5. Please set out what modification(s) you consider necessary to make the Local Plan legally compliant or sound. To make the Birmingham Local Plan sound and consistent with national policy, the following modifications are necessary: 1.     De-allocate or Defer Development: Remove the housing allocation for the Perry Barr Stadium site from the current Local Plan period, OR defer its allocation until a comprehensive, legally binding alternative site for Speedway provision is explicitly identified, assessed for viability, and formally allocated within the plan. 2.     Strengthen Policy Safeguards: Amend the policy wording to explicitly state that “No development shall commence on the Perry Barr Stadium site until a replacement Speedway facility of equivalent or better quality has been fully delivered and made operational at an alternative, approved location.” This brings the plan into compliance with Paragraph 103 of the NPPF.      

Probably had the hump because he couldn't get anywhere near Cooper all night 🤣

The refs decision is consistent with many other decisions made during racing incidents and non incidents. Let me explain. Last night Ben ran into Jye and crashed and was therefore the cause of the stoppage. Straight forward and as per the rules and not controversial. However the root cause of the crash was Jye pulling a locker. I have seen many occasions when a rider in front gets into trouble, clearly impedes the rider behinds race but never gets pulled up if no crash. There was a Worky v Scunthorpe mtg and one of the Comets was all over the place and nearly took out Steve Worrall. Luckily Worralls experience avoided a crash, but left him stone last whilst the Comet on the bucking bronco continued. At Berwick 2 weeks ago Reid Battye reared on the back straight, caught the fence and bounced across the track hitting teammate Palovaara and Workys Jeppersen ending the Danes race. Battye still won the race, but he impeded an opponent and went un punished. The root cause of incidents should be targeted not the outcome.

Also Cooper Rushden at Northampton when he veered to the left and this sent a rider behind (Luke Harrison?) into the deck, i think also on that occasion the fallen rider was excluded much to many peoples expectations, least not Jan on comms. Honestly think Ref's should spend a day or two learning how to ride a speedway bike just for the experience so they can better understand race situations, or even have a rider from the riders association give a talk to them pre season so they could help identify some of the nuances of racing. The ref's read the book as its wrongly written, "the leading rider can choose his or her line"

The refs decision is consistent with many other decisions made during racing incidents and non incidents. Let me explain. Last night Ben ran into Jye and crashed and was therefore the cause of the stoppage. Straight forward and as per the rules and not controversial. However the root cause of the crash was Jye pulling a locker. I have seen many occasions when a rider in front gets into trouble, clearly impedes the rider behinds race but never gets pulled up if no crash. There was a Worky v Scunthorpe mtg and one of the Comets was all over the place and nearly took out Steve Worrall. Luckily Worralls experience avoided a crash, but left him stone last whilst the Comet on the bucking bronco continued. At Berwick 2 weeks ago Reid Battye reared on the back straight, caught the fence and bounced across the track hitting teammate Palovaara and Workys Jeppersen ending the Danes race. Battye still won the race, but he impeded an opponent and went un punished. The root cause of incidents should be targeted not the outcome.