THE company behind a £250 million racetrack planned for Ebbw Vale said it has altered its designs to reduce its impact on the environment.

Responding to concerns raised by Gwent Wildlife Trust, which fears the Circuit of Wales will destroy valuable wildlife, the Heads of the Valleys Development Company (HVDC) said it had spent the last nine months preparing a rigorous environmental impact assessment for the proposed Circuit of Wales, in Rassau.

It said it took its environmental obligations very seriously and was complying with European regulations to come up with compensation measures for any impact the circuit may have before submitting a planning application this month.

They said they were “disappointed with the comments made by the Gwent Wildlife Trust, many of which are inaccurate, and have been issued prior to them seeing the finished Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).”

It said it had been liaising directly with Gwent Wildlife Trust as part of this process and was therefore surprised it had raised objections having not yet seen the final proposals.

A spokesman for HVDC said: “This is a project that is set to transform the local economy and the lives of people in Blaenau Gwent by attracting thousands of much-needed jobs and training opportunities to the area – but we are certainly not taking anything for granted.

“We are, however, committed to working with the trust to alleviate as many of their concerns as possible.

“We have already significantly altered the design of the project to reduce any impact on the environment, which highlights just how seriously we take these matters.”

The Circuit of Wales is set to create 9,000 jobs and is expected to attract 750,000 visitors a year, boosting the Welsh economy by £50 million a year.

If plans are passed it will include a 3.5-mile racetrack, karting and motocross tracks, a race academy and technology park. Two hotels could also be built and commentators say the track could compete with Silverstone for world-class race events.

Have your say on the plans at community consultation events taking place across Blaenau Gwent in November and December. Visit circuitofwales.com for more information.