Speedway could return to town after five years

Swindon has been without live speedway meetings since 2019

Plans have been revealed to bring speedway back to a town after a five-year absence.

The former owners of Swindon Speedway want to build a 5,000-capacity venue at Studley Grange, between Wroughton and Royal Wooton Bassett.

The town has not held live speedway meetings since winning the league and cup double in 2019, and the stadium would replace the Abbey Stadium which they left two years ago.

Terry Russell, director of Swindon Motorsports which want to build the stadium, said: "I've been eager to get this site announced for a long time."

The new venue would be the home track of the Swindon Robins.

The development, called The Studley Grange Motorsports Hub, will include a speedway oval, karting track, and motorsport leisure development.

It would also include garages, storage and car parking.

A planning application will be submitted to Wiltshire Council after "a period of engagement" with the community and councillors.

'Part of our history'

Mr Russell told BBC Radio Wiltshire he hopes works could start as early as March 2025 "if everything went swimmingly well".

He said: "We look forward to going through the process and start actively doing some work, but it takes more time. We're looking for a motorsport complex that includes a speedway track.

The new venue would be the home track of the Swindon Robins.

"We want a facility in the area that can be used seven days a week, not 20 evenings with a time barrier on them.

"I hope more people support it than criticise it, because it's being done with the best intention to put speedway back on the map in Swindon."

Local motorsport fan Marie Osbourne said: "Fans believe it can happen. We want this in our town, we're doing everything we can to get this sport back in our town.

"It's part of Swindon history.

"It's not just my generation that enjoy it, you've got generations under me. I started going with my grandad.

"To have it back in the town would be great."

The 2020 SGB Premiership was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, and in January 2021 the Robins withdrew from the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to the uncertainty over their new stadium.