The JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) Experience and Eastnor Castle Estates Company applied in December for what is known as a environmental impact assessment (EIA) screening opinion from Herefordshire Council on whether its plans to upgrade and extend the off-road driving course in the castle grounds met threshold for a full EIA.
The plans within the castle grounds, which lies in the Malvern Hills National Landscape near Ledbury, included construction details of the track, inclines, articulations, and a “Twisted Toblerone”, but these were not published online with the application.
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However a published map shows an intricate layout of planned tracks on what appears from aerial imagery to currently be open land within the estate’s woodlands.
Council planning officer Chloe Allen-Hewitt concluded that, as the proposal for a permanent racing and test track would cover more than a hectare within the “sensitive area” of the National Landscape, it was a “Schedule 2 development” – so an EIA would not be mandatory, but would depend on the specifics.
And given the characteristics, location and likely impact and planned mitigation within the Eastnor proposal, it “is not likely to give rise to significant effects on the environment”, she concluded.
“Accordingly, an Environmental Statement is not required.”
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According to the official Land Rover UK website: “Our Eastnor Experience Centre sits nestled amongst 5,000 acres of stunning Herefordshire countryside and woodland on the private estate of Eastnor Castle.
“Used as one of the many testing locations for Range Rover, Defender and Discovery for many years, Eastnor’s demanding terrain has been used to prove the capability of our vehicles.”
The attraction currently has a 5-star rating on the TripAdvisor website, based on 267 reviews.