New $38M Track In Northern Ireland Granted Planning Permission

A new £29M ($38.3M) motorsports track in Northern Ireland "has been granted planning permission by Mid Ulster District Council," according to Stephen Lickorish of MOTORSPORT. The Lake Torrent circuit is set to be built on a former clay pit site in Coalisland, 40 minutes from Belfast. Execs of the 2.23-mile, 12-turn circuit "hope to attract major series like the British Touring Car Championship and the World Superbike Championship to the venue." It "is planned that work on the Lake Torrent circuit will be completed" in the spring of '19. The design of the privately-funded circuit has been penned by Driven Int'l -- the company "also working on Silverstone’s new rallycross track." Noise restrictions will limit the venue to only 12 days of racing per year, with a maximum of four Saturday and Sunday meetings allowed (MOTORSPORT, 9/13).