New plans aim to bring harness racing back to Bannockburn after track closure

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Horse sports enthusiasts are backing a bid to make Bannockburn the heart of harness racing once again.Corbiewood Stadium in Bannockburn had been home to the Scottish harness racing community since 1966 with up to 300 people turning up each week.But it was demolished in 2022 to make way for a major new housing development proposed as part of the South Stirling Gateway development.Now, however, the British Harness Racing Club has submitted an application to Stirling Council planners to create a trotting track and facilities on land west of New Line Road and south of Fairhill Road at Whins of Milton.The plans, which have already attracted several letters of support, also include an amenity facility with toilets, bar and hot food and drink (all takeaway) and formation of competitor and spectator access and parking areas.In documents submitted with the application, agents for the association said: “Be under no illusion.

This planning proposal represents the continuation of the sport of harness racing in Scotland.“Since the loss of the Corbiewood...Scottish competitors have currently no racing track within the country at which they can compete.

At present the nearest racing track is in York in Yorkshire.“Due to the costs and timeframes involved in order to compete at York, a considerable amount of Scottish competitors have ceased competing.“This has left the sport in Scotland on its knees and struggling to maintain coherence and viability as an organisation.“The competitors who have been forced to leave the sport all give assurances that if a facility was re-instated to replace the lost facility at Corbiewood then they will wholeheartedly re-commit to the sport and to competition.“They all confirm it is the loss of the