Fans and campaigners say the rejection of a bid to have Abbey Stadium designated an ‘Asset of Community Value’ is a ‘slap in the face’ to hopes to get speedway back in Swindon.

But Swindon Borough Council, which has turned down the attempt by Swindon Needs Speedway to have the stadium afforded a small measure of protection said it had to follow law about such designations.

The pressure group had applied to have the stadium designated as an ACV, which would mean there would be a period of six months after its current owners Gaming International said it wanted to sell it, to see if community groups or charities could take it over and maintain its current use.

But it was turned down by the borough council because legal advice said the five-year gap since the last speedway meeting at the Blunsdon stadium meant the motorsport probably couldn’t be called its current use.

That greatly disappointed Swindon Needs Speedway, and its dismay was made plain on its Facebook page: “Another Swindon Council slap in the face for Swindon Speedway fans as they reject our application to make the Abbey an Asset of Community Value to help protect it from sale and redevelopment.

“Legal advice related to the 2011 Localism Act, informed them to reject due to the Speedway not being staged there now, or in the recent past. 70 years is worth nothing it would seem!”

The group said the advice to the council seemed to be at odds with Oxford City Council’s understanding  which meant that it has designated Oxford’s speedway stadium as an ACV and added: “This is despite it being closed far longer at the time and Oxford Speedway having fewer of the local community attending speedway meetings when it previously ran.”

The group concluded: “Another in a long line of Swindon Borough Council decisions that look to facilitate Gaming International's end game of the stadium's ultimate demise. Shameful!!”

But a spokesman for Swindon Borough Council said: “We understand the campaigners are disappointed with the decision not to list the Abbey Stadium as an Asset of Community Value.

“We received independent, specialist legal advice, to look specifically at the Abbey Stadium case, and this concluded that the nomination did not meet the required tests under the Localism Act.

The council added that it did not mean another bid would necessarily fail: “However, the advice also highlighted that the legislation does not prevent re-nomination of the same land although relevant new evidence or a change of the circumstances would be required if a fresh application was to stand any reasonable prospect of success.

“We have explained that to the representative of Swindon Needs Speedway Action Group, who made the nomination.”

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