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| Silverstone boss contacts Cameron over Circuit of Wales | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Silverstone racetrack bosses have asked David Cameron to prevent tens of millions of pounds of potentially "illegal" state aid being used for a new £280m circuit in Wales. | |
| Developers behind the Circuit of Wales scheme in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, are said to be asking the Welsh and UK governments to commit up to £50m. | Developers behind the Circuit of Wales scheme in Ebbw Vale, Blaenau Gwent, are said to be asking the Welsh and UK governments to commit up to £50m. |
| Silverstone's MD has written to the prime minister to intervene. | |
| Planning issues have delayed the start of work at the site. | Planning issues have delayed the start of work at the site. |
| Heads of the Valleys Development Company wants to create 6,000 jobs and bring 750,000 visitors a year to the area as part of its plans but doubts have been raised over the number of jobs claimed. | Heads of the Valleys Development Company wants to create 6,000 jobs and bring 750,000 visitors a year to the area as part of its plans but doubts have been raised over the number of jobs claimed. |
| The development promises to transform one of Wales' most deprived communities. | The development promises to transform one of Wales' most deprived communities. |
| Alongside the racing circuit, there are plans for hotels, a grandstand, a technology park and a solar park. | Alongside the racing circuit, there are plans for hotels, a grandstand, a technology park and a solar park. |
| But those projects all rely on the racetrack going ahead. | But those projects all rely on the racetrack going ahead. |
| The Circuit of Wales would host all motor racing events except Formula 1. | The Circuit of Wales would host all motor racing events except Formula 1. |
| A spokesperson for Silverstone confirmed on Monday that its managing director Richard Phillips had written to Mr Cameron about funding for the Circuit of Wales. | A spokesperson for Silverstone confirmed on Monday that its managing director Richard Phillips had written to Mr Cameron about funding for the Circuit of Wales. |
| The letter said: "An injection of funds by the Welsh and/or UK governments to the Circuit of Wales project would amount to a transfer of state resources, which gives Circuit of Wales an economic and selective advantage over other circuits. As such, it could amount to illegal state aid. | |
| "There are a number of well established, privately funded circuits in the UK, including Wales, that feel that the British motor sport industry would be threatened by the addition of a government-funded circuit." | |
| The Association of Motor Racing Circuit Owners, which represents 17 UK race tracks, said last summer the circuit would harm motorsport. | |
| Developers have asked both the Welsh and UK governments for up to £50m in total towards the scheme, it was revealed earlier this month. | Developers have asked both the Welsh and UK governments for up to £50m in total towards the scheme, it was revealed earlier this month. |
| BBC Wales understands the Welsh government is considering investing £30m in the project. | BBC Wales understands the Welsh government is considering investing £30m in the project. |
| The Welsh government told BBC Wales on Monday the Circuit of Wales had not asked it for money. | The Welsh government told BBC Wales on Monday the Circuit of Wales had not asked it for money. |
| Prestigious event | |
| Heads of the Valleys Development Company has also been asked to comment. | |
| A key part of the racing circuit development involves securing the rights to host MotoGP - the motorbike racing equivalent of Formula 1 - which attracts global audiences of up to 300 million. | |
| The company has said it aims to build the circuit in time to host the prestigious event in September 2015 but it is understood no deal has yet been signed. | |
| It was hoped that building work could start on the site last December but there have been delays because of planning issues. | |
| The circuit is being built on 332 hectares (820 acres) of common land so the company has to de-register it, find an equivalent amount of land elsewhere and re-register that as common land. | |
| The Planning Inspectorate for Wales said the process could take almost a year to complete. |