HOG HILL READY FOR RACING BY FEBRUARY 2008

CLUBS can now apply to organise events from February 2008 at Hog Hill in Redbridge, when the temporary relocation site for London?s Eastway is expected to open, British Cycling have announced.

This follows British Cycling?s recent meeting with the London Development Agency (LDA) when they learned that construction of the road and off-road circuits is to begin in August.

It had been hoped Hog Hill would be ready by September 2007, almost a year after Eastway in Hackney was closed, to be cleared from the 2012 Olympic Games site.

The delay in part was due to the discovery of the Great Crested Newt at Hog Hill, a protected species.

Now a following a study of the newts? habitat, Natural England has granted a licence to relocate the animals and for construction in the area to take place.

There then remains one more study to carry out, by the Museum of London Archaeology Services who will dig trenches where foundations of the pavilion, the access road and car park, are to be constructed.

?There is no evidence that anything significant will be found in these locations and it is not seen as a significant risk to the project,? British Cycling say.

The LDA say that in addition to on-site works, the entrance to the site is to have a pedestrian island, new cycle routes to the site will be marked out and a speed limit reduction applied to the approach the road.

The official handover of the site to Redbridge Borough is planned for December 2007. A project steering group consisting of the LDA, British Cycling and Redbridge, is to be formed and will meet monthly. Two wider user group meetings are also to be held, one in August, one in November.

Brian Cookson, president of British Cycling, said: ?It is reassuring to hear the excellent progress that is now being made on the Hog Hill Circuit which will be delivered for the 2008 season. Hog Hill will be a fantastic venue.?

Clubs wishing to promote at Hog Hill should apply for event registration via the Region Competition Administrators (Derek Lusher for Eastern and Glyn Durrant for South Eastern).