A MULTI-MILLION pound racetrack in the Heads of the Valleys won’t be ready in time for the 2015 MotoGP, one of the businessmen behind the project has said.

Peter Thomas of the Circuit of Wales said that building work can’t start until the delayed process of de-registering common land is complete.

However he said the track would certainly be bidding for the 2016 MotoGP event.

A spokesman for the project this morning confirmed reports of Mr Thomas’ comments in the Western Mail as accurate.

It had been hoped that the Circuit of Wales project, a proposed £280m motorsports complex in Rassau, near Ebbw Vale, would be ready in time for next year's MotoGP.

Mr Thomas was quoted as saying: “We have been delayed because of the need to de-register common land. That process is continuing, but we can’t start building work until that change is complete and, realistically, we are not going to be in a position to bid for next year’s MotoGP event.”

He said that once the deregistration of common land is complete, “we will be in a position to get investors involved.”

The CEO of Insight in Infrastructure, who has been responsible for the planning process at Circuit of Wales, was reported as saying the circuit would “certainly be bidding” for 2016’s MotoGP race.

A planning inquiry, starting June 24, will focus on the Heads of the Valleys Development Company’s request to have access to hundreds of acres of common land earmarked for the project.

Blaenau Gwent councillors agreed in principle in April to register council land as common land, which the Heads of the Valleys Development Company would like to replace the common land being used at the Circuit of Wales development site.

Outline planning permission for the project was awarded last summer. The Welsh Government decided not to call in the application.