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A racing centre in West London says it is at risk of closure due to the council’s handling of lease renewal negotiations.
The West London Racing Centre (WLRC), at Pole Hill in Hillingdon was built by volunteers 30 years ago, and has paid Hillingdon Council rent subsequently. It was built on formerly derelict hardstanding by club members using their own labour and resources in the 90s, and has been maintained entirely without public subsidy ever since.
The centre provides a space for people to race radio cars and provides STEM workshops with local school groups, and after school and youth engagement clubs. It also provides a holiday activities and food programme for children which is commissioned and funded by Hillingdon Council.
The racing centre says that “Without a clear route to a long-term solution, there is a genuine risk that a long-standing, community-built facility - already delivering measurable local impact - could be lost.”
Since 2011, the center has had a lease with Hillingdon Council, but this expired in 2021, with renewal negotiations beginning shortly after. Since then, “despite the council's own acknowledgement that it wishes to grant a long-term lease”, no resolution has been reached.
The programmes delivered from the site, including those commissioned and funded by the council itself, remain at risk.
In 2023, the council confirmed in writing that WLRC occupied the site under a Tenancy at Will during lease renewal negotiations. Despite WLRC paying rent in good faith, the council reportedly placed the account on "stop" in 2023 without resolving the agreement.
The centre says that Hillingdon Council has recently attempted to downgrade WLRC's occupation retroactively to a temporary/backdated licence, which it says undermines their established 30 year history and exclusive possession.
Andy Hyde, Chief Executive of RC Vision CIC, says the negotiations have “disappeared into a vacuum." He said: “We constantly have to start all over again due to turnover of staff at the council.”
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) that the club is unable to invest, as it does not know if it will be granted a lease to remain on the site. He added: “We’ve got the club here, the club's interest is in providing racing as a sport.
“That sporting interest is inhibited by our inability to spend money on facilities (due to the lease The track needs repair and resurfacing, if we can’t do that, do we look elsewhere?
“For the young people this is something that they can call their own where they can indulge their interests and passions and find their future and identity. The council not acting is hammering home they are not valued and don’t belong.”
According to Andy, council officers had informed WLRC that a new lease could not be granted because the site is designated as "public open space". Yet, WLRC held formal 5-year leases with the Council in both 2011 and 2017 for the site in question.
Furthermore, the council’s own public signage explicitly states the space is "managed by West London Racing Centre." Andy says this has led him to question the legality of previous leases issued by the council.
The site itself suffers ongoing, “deliberate vandalism” because it is unfenced. The centre says it has historically paid out of pocket to repair third-party and joyrider damage, caused by people bringing e-scooters to ride on the site.
Although previous leases obliged WLRC to "keep in good and substantial repair... the fences which enclose the Premises", the council is now refusing to allow protective fencing, citing public access, despite WLRC offering to self-fund security and STEM learning infrastructure at no cost to the public purse.
Just recently, Andy says the site track was smashed up by kids, and on several occasions burned scooters have been left having been set fire to. On some occasions, kids climb up the outbuilding, and end up stuck - something which has led to the fire brigade being called.
Hillingdon Council maintains that as the site is public open space, fencing that restricts public access cannot be supported in the current circumstances.
In recent weeks, the council has put offers on the table, the terms of which the club says it “couldn’t operate under.” This includes limiting the track to Sundays, four Saturdays and two Mondays a year.
Andy said: “That's incompatible with the STEM and HAF holiday-club sessions the Council itself commissions us to run on weekdays, and effectively rules out youth work continuing.”
Additionally, the council refuses to approve any fencing or perimeter security, leaving the site unsecured indefinitely, and demands that club indemnifies the council and cover costs for any damage or injury at the site “even though it's the council's own refusal to allow security measures that leaves it exposed in the first place.”
He added: “We'd be asked to indemnify the council for damage or injury at the site, while the council itself refuses to let us install the fencing or security that would prevent that damage happening in the first place. In effect, we'd be carrying the cost and liability for a risk that's entirely of the Council's own making, and during times we aren’t permitted to operate to mitigate the risks in person.
Speaking to the LDRS, Andy explained that it’s “beggars belief” that the council isn’t “chomping at the bit” to renew the lease for the self-funded centre. He believes that there is simply a “lack of political will.”
He said: “This is a question of political will. It’s very easy to sort out with political will.
“You don’t need a 12 to 18 month policy review process to do stuff which is long established normal activities with councils. It doesn’t need a long convoluted process, it doesn't need a consultation, it doesn't need a policy framework to be developed and debated because these things are long established practices - the case is a slam dunk.”
Hillingdon Council said: "We recognise the valuable contribution WLRC makes to Hillingdon and remain committed to reaching an agreement that allows the club to continue its important work in the community.
"The council has worked constructively throughout this process and explored every available option to support the club while discussions continue. We have issued a draft tenancy at will to the club's legal representatives and are now awaiting their response so that occupation of the site can be formally regularised.
"This expanded offer reflects how WLRC has grown from a model racing club into an organisation delivering youth engagement, SEND support, STEM education and wider community activities, and also includes the provision of free parking.
"We do not accept the trustees' interpretation of previous lease arrangements. The historic agreement was always for limited occupation and use of the hardstanding on specified days. As the site is public open space, fencing that restricts public access cannot be supported in the current circumstances."
Have a story you want to share? Email philip.lynch@reachplc.com or @pjlynchjourno on X.
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