NO alternative land has been suggested to build the £315 million Circuit of Wales despite disagreements over current proposals, a public inquiry has heard.

The hearing into the de-registration of common land needed to build the racetrack in Rassau, Ebbw Vale, entered its third day yesterday.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said they do not object to the developers’ application but do not agree that the replacement land would be of equal value to the released land.

The hearing, which began in Ebbw Vale on Tuesday, is examining an application by Heads of the Valleys Development Company (HVDC) to take over 244 hectares of common land at Twyn Bryn March and Trefil Las and replace it with replacement common land in order to complete the project.

HVDC say the planning application would enhance biodiversity and conservation when the replacement land, mitigation land and further mitigation land are taken into account.

Under cross-examination from HVDC’s legal representative Russell Harris QC yesterday, NRW landscape consultant, John Campion, agreed that no other common land had been outlined by the environmental body.

He agreed that although NRW had difficulty accepting some of the developers’ views on the replacement land’s benefits, their qualms would not be enough on its own to warrant the Welsh Government to reject the application.

On Wednesday, Mr Campion said the loss of common land would prove to be a “loss of cultural significance” for the local community. But yesterday he said he had made the comments about the Valleys community’s affection with the mountains in “a generic sense” and said there was no real evidence to support his own views.

The inquiry also heard from farmer William Gibbs, who has grazing rights for more than 1,200 sheep on some of the released common land.

He said the development would “hugely increase” traffic in the area and questioned previous evidence given by ecology expert Charles Morrison who said all local graziers were “fully supportive” of the developers’ mitigation plans.

The racetrack has already secured a five-year contract plus a further five-year option to hold the British MotoGP, but Silverstone will host the 2015 and 2016 races as its own venue which is yet to be built after a series of setbacks.

It hopes to create up to 6,000 jobs and attract 750,000 visitors a year.

The inquiry has heard evidence that the project would bring £45 million into the economy per annum if it is approved by the Welsh Government.

The inquiry is expected to last until the end of next week.

l The South Wales Argus supports the proposed Circuit of Wales, primarily for the beneficial economic impact it will have on the Blaenau Gwent area. If you also support the plans, you can download a poster from our website to display in your window. To download the poster, go to www.nqwg.co.uk/swa/files/CircuitofWales.jpg.