Residents worried about return of racecourse

Karl McCartney, Lincoln’s Tory PPC, will try to force through his plan to redevelop Lincoln’s racecourse if elected, fear the residents of West Parade, in Carholme Ward.

It was revealed at the West Parade Residents Association (WERA) AGM on Wednesday, May 5th that if successful, they will take a stand against it.

If plans go ahead, Lincoln will see a restoration of the old racecourse in Carholme that was shut down in 1965 due to becoming uneconomical.

The plans for the new restoration have not been fully revealed. WERA says: “[The] council won’t let anyone see the document.” But sources close to the situation have revealed that the redevelopment is set to be over twice as large, with a hotel and conference centre built on the commons.

Residents fear that the renewed racecourse will cause further problems for Lincoln’s traffic and parking. Robert Parker, a Lincolnshire County Councillor for Labour, told residents that the racecourse will encourage approximately 5000 people into the city, which could cripple Lincoln’s traffic system.

The racecourse is part of McCartney’s plan to boost tourism and investment in Lincoln, however some residents have doubts as to how much Lincoln as a city will benefit from it.

Charles Shaw, a Liberal Democrat local council elections candidate, said: “The racecourse is not needed. The economics don’t work.”

According to WERA’s Commons Advisory Panel representative, Karl McCartney “has at least £13million of starter investment ready – and is prepared to push it through if he’s elected. We’ve got a real battle on our hands.”