Monarchs joy as site found for new home

EDINBURGH Monarchs boss John Campbell today revealed the Capital speedway club have found a new home in West Lothian to which they will relocate for the 2011 season, writes DAVID KINVIG.

Monarchs are having to quit their Armadale home because Sainsbury's plan to build a supermarket on the site.

Monarchs will release full details of their plans on Monday, but Campbell confirmed: "After considerable negotiations, we have secured a site where we intend to take Monarchs in 2011.

"It is a greenfield site and the pre-planning application will also go in on Monday and that will be followed by a twelve-week consultation period.

"We will be holding a public exhibition in Armadale within the next fortnight to show people what we intend to do, and how we intend to do it. Everything is in place from our point of view."

The new site is barely two miles from Monarchs' current base but Campbell warned there will be obstacles to overcome.

He said: "Although we have won the battle to secure a piece of land, I think it is fair to say that the war is going to start now. Because obtaining planning permission is never easy for a speedway circuit.

"West Lothian Council have been very supportive in finding somewhere for us to go and they are very keen for Monarchs to remain in the area and so are we. The Council have given us advice all along the way and, hopefully, they will give us planning permission in due course."