Harvey Ingram helps Leicester Lions roar back after 30 years

Release date: 12/04/2011

Tens of thousands of spectators are now set to descend on Beaumont Leys Sports Complex every year following completion of Leicester Lions' £1.2 million speedway track.

If all goes to plan phases two and three, featuring a new cycle-track and all-weather football stadium, will follow in due course. It is estimated up to 50 new jobs will be created when the complex is fully completed.

Leicester Lions' manager David Hemsley, also a chartered surveyor with S&P Architects, has been working closely on the project with Martin Jones, principal legal adviser and Harvey Ingram's head of Construction & Engineering.

David Hemsley says: "From my point of view, this project presents a very exciting opportunity for Leicester. It has huge commercial and regeneration benefits for the community and will be an enormous boost for the city as a whole. I have been very grateful for all the support I've had on it from Harvey Ingram and am really looking forward to watching speedway take off among a new generation of fans."

Project partners were granted planning permission to develop the Beaumont Leys' site in August 2009. As a result, the Leicester Lions was able to get talks underway with the British Speedway Premier League, with the intention of competitive action underway ahead of the 2011 season.

Martin Jones has been overseeing the new venture's legal work with the help of colleagues Matt Duckworth and Lisa Botterill.

He adds: "The speedway track and neighbouring sports village will be a superb asset for both the city and local community. Speedway supporters have been campaigning hard to bring racing back to the city for nearly 30 years. The new complex will help pave the way for the regeneration of a huge area relatively close to the city centre. The venue will draw tens of thousands of visitors every year and help in the on-going promotion of Leicester as a city and county of sporting excellence.

"Because of the number of partners involved, there's been some complex construction and technical arrangements to nail down. But all partners know the result makes the effort worthwhile."