A CONTROVERSIAL motor racing circuit is to become a permanent fixture, despite widespread objections from villagers.

Richmondshire District Council officers are recommending the Yorkshire Dales Autograss Club be given 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 the council objecting to the track, saying noise and dust on race days was a problem and that the entrance had poor visibility.

Stephen Sampson, chairman of Kiplin Parish Meeting, said: "There was an enormously noisy meeting on Sunday.

"Everybody was extremely upset all day and a number of letters have been written to both Hambleton and Richmondshire council's since the weekend.

"We feel Richmond is dumping this racetrack on our community. The trustees of Kiplin Hall also see this as counter to what they are trying to do and North Yorkshire County Council is not in favour."

But planning officers have also received more than 50 letters in support of the track from as far away as Essex.

Ray Dowdle, spokesman for the club, said: "I can understand locals are not very happy because people don't want anything on their own doorstep.

"We've been racing here for the last ten years and we're not going to be racing any more than we have been in the future. We have been compared to the Croft track - but we're nothing like it."

Council officers are recommending the planning permission be granted with certain conditions.

These include limiting the number of races allowed each year to 12 and no race starting before 11.30am or continuing after 6.30pm.

Councillors will vote on the future of the track at a meeting of Richmondshire council's environment and planning committee on Tuesday, at 6.30pm in Swale House, Frenchgate, Richmond.