possible new offroad course

[windowlicker]

today i was out looking for an old quarry that is used for off roading and found a place that i thought it was but the gate was locked so i walked through the feild next to it so i could have a gander.

the site was quite big but there was no sign that any 4x4's had been there so i started walking back to the car when i was aproached by a bloke with a couple of dogs. so expecting him to kick off i politely asked him if he knew if the quarry was ever used for off roading at this point i was waiting for him to break out in to a you are tresspassing fit but to my suprise he just said no but he wouldnt mind if we were to use it if we want.

i said to the bloke that there wasnt really much that we could use as a lot of it was to soft and would need pushing around and compacting and asked if i could bring a wheel digger down (as i am a digger driver) to make a some sort of course and he seemed more than happy to let us
we continued to talk about the ins and outs and that he could make money on the land instead of it earning him nothing and he is now going to find out the legality as to how much he could do with the land and turn the lot into a pay and play area we then swaped phone numbers and hes going to contact me after hes spoke to the council and if he gets the go ahead wants me to push and dig it about to what ever i think suitable but there would be a fee on my behalf ofcourse :D

[V8MoneyPit]

Sounds interesting mate. I assume it's local to you?

The main issues he will have are planning consent (local housing/noise) and insurance. Most public laibility insurers now require full marshalling and medical personel to be on site.

He could obviously have everyone sign a disclaimer, but I'm not sure that means much legally. So if someone destroyed their car or injured themselves and decided to take the owner to court the disclaimer wouldn't be worth the paper it's written on. That's what i understand, but someone with more knowledge might care to comment on this because i'm no expert.

[gav]

i have been wondering about this issue,

is it not possible to gain access to a site( be it the gate is left open) and the owner doesnt mind, and on exit a small donation is left??

as a gift???

[blackbob]

most pay and play sites  the cost is for liability insurance cos if any one gets hurt the land owner can be sued
 :(

[Boggert]

I would speak to a local Chartered surveyors as planning is going to be needed, its a long drawn out process.

[windowlicker]

Sounds interesting mate. I assume it's local to you?

its near the beeston site between beeston and litcham so you may know the site i mean?

[windowlicker]

i have been wondering about this issue,

is it not possible to gain access to a site( be it the gate is left open) and the owner doesnt mind, and on exit a small donation is left??

as a gift???

this was one of his first comments but he was unsure if he would still be liable

[windowlicker]

I would speak to a local Chartered surveyors as planning is going to be needed, its a long drawn out process.

hes going to aproach the local planning office i think he may have a good chance especially with recent local news coverage of people kicking off about 4x4's using green lanes and its mostly about who you know not what you know if you get me drift

[MuddyMike]

A local club, BLRC for instance, could use the land up to 14 times a year on their ALRC exemption permits without planning permission. Having done that a few times without upseting the locals planning would be less of a problem.

Mike

[Mudlark]

Isn't it a case of any site can be used for a purpose for 28 days a year without planning permision?

I'm sure it is for small caravan sites and airfields and carparks etc.

[MuddyMike]

Perhaps its 14 weekends then which is the same as your 28 days. ISTR but might be wrong that when the laws about vehicles being used in semi public places changed, clubs needed exemption permits for motor sport events as in those issed by ALRC and RACMSA.

Mike

[Evilgoat]

Contact your Local St Johns for first Aid cover. They may well jump at the chance to take the Challengers round :)

http://www.sja.org.uk

It'll cost but not much.

[fatusbloke]

Isn't it a case of any site can be used for a purpose for 28 days a year without planning permision?

I'm sure it is for small caravan sites and airfields and carparks etc.

 I'm almost sure this is right as i remember it from running awdc events down south, and i beleave it's 28 paid days so your setting up sat doesn't count, something to do with the "hire or reward" wording in planning consent.

 Thats why a lot of pay and play sites run on alternate weekends, to get round this problem. still doesn't get round the public liabilty insurence problem though. Last time i discussed it it was around £2-£3K per annum

[richo]

Windowlicker if it gos ahead would you let me know as i would be very interested in using the site for pay n play days.