A CONTROVERSIAL motor racing circuit has received backing from councillors.

Yorkshire Dales Autograss Club has been given planning permission to continue racing in the fields it has been using for the past 11 years, near Kiplin Hall, in North Yorkshire.

The club has been able to race up to 14 times a year without planning permission, but stricter rules on land use led the council to suggest a formal application be made.

Since then, more than 40 people have written to Richmondshire Council objecting to the track, saying noise and dust on race days was a problem and that the entrance had poor visibility.

However, at a meeting of the council's environment and planning committee on Tuesday, councillors voted to grant the club permission to race for up to 12 weekends a year.

Officers will work with the club and residents of Kiplin to draw-up conditions the racers will need to abide by.

John Blackie, leader of Richmondshire Council, said that although the council had voted in favour of the club, the permission could be withdrawn if acceptable conditions were not agreed.

He said: "We're not actually saying yes tonight.

"What we're saying is that we are minded to grant permission, but only if we get the right schedule of conditions governing now racing takes place in Kiplin."

The decision granting permission was made despite the highway authority recommending the application be refused because of poor access to the site.