£7.5m grandstand given the nod

Arun District Council has approved the 7.5m three-storey building.

Planning officer James Smith described the new building as 'a visual improvement' on the existing stand.

"This proposal further enhances the racecourse facilities to compete with other improved venues such as Kempton Park and Ascot.

"It equips the facilities up to 21st-century standards. This will benefit tourists and locals using the racecourse," he said.

He added there would be no impact on the countryside since the new stand was not significantly larger than the original and was screened from direct views. There were also no direct residences adjacent to the proposed stand.

Northern Racing, the owner of Fontwell Park, now has three years in which to start work on the scheme.

For full story see Sporting Odds, West Sussex Gazette December 17