Daimler Chrysler and Their Proposed Brooklands Development. By now, you will probably have read in the press about the proposal made by DaimlerChrysler UK (DCUK) to build a Heritage and Technology Centre (HTC) at Brooklands and perhaps have read the letter from your committee (and co-signed by DCUK) published in the January MotorSport. However, want to provide you with as much information as possible about the development at this early stage, and also to reveal some rather exciting items which were included in the recent planning application and which have not yet widely appeared in the press. For clarity, the area for which DCUK have an option to purchase, subject to obtaining planning permission, is the 155 acres owned by the Universities Superannuation Fund, lying to the west of the River Wey, with its most northerly point at the site of the former Hennebique Bridge.  The area, shown outlined in red, (click on any of the pictures to see larger versions) is bounded on the west by the Railway Straight to a point south of the Air Hanson Hangar, excludes the south-west corner of Brooklands which has already (sadly) been developed (ie the Tesco site etc), and extends to the whole remaining area south of the Wellington Way, including the Byfleet Banking section from the runway around to the Fork. The area does not therefore include any of the Members Banking or other parts of the Museum site, but does incorporate the runway and that part of the Campbell Circuit to the west of the river.  It should be noted that the entire site lies within the conservation area, and is, apart from a small section, also designated as green belt. An application for outline planning permission was made by DCUK on December 12th to build the following: 1. A "signature" Heritage and Technology Centre immediately north of the apex of the Aerodrome Curve, with a footprint of 8,500 square metres. This will be set in landscaped grounds and will have a car parking area to its west. To the north of the building will be the new car park for the Museum, the present car park being developed into an "aviation village".  This building is of modern design (very high tech with lots of glass and shiny metal, etc) and will be open to the public. It is not a car showroom, although models from the current range will be on display, but more of a museum and educational facility. Its purpose is to act as a prestigious centre for the promotion of the Mercedes-Benz brand. Similar centres are being built across Europe, but Brooklands is highly unusual with its motor sport connections. 2. A business unit (i.e. offices) with a triangular-shaped footprint of 3,690 square metres adjacent to the Railway Straight. This site is already approved for employment, and this application by DCUK does not add to that approval. 3. A high quality 80 bedroom hotel with a footprint of 2,200 square metres. Car parking will be provided between the hotel and the office development. It is also proposed that the Wellington Way will be adopted, from which an access road will provide a main access to the HTC. The main entrance to the Museum will then be by foot across the bridge.  I understand that, subject to approval by English Heritage, the Brooklands Memorial will be relocated to here (it presently occupies a spot on which the HTC is proposed to be built), and that the Memorial will also be restored. The area to the south of the Wellington Way (includes the section of the Byfleet Banking) will become a community park. It is not yet clear how the banking here will be managed or by whom. A riverside walk will also be provided. All unapproved activities within the area will be removed. These include fly tipping, dumping of vehicles, vehicle storage and vehicle testing. These activities contribute significantly to the progressive decline of the circuit. In addition, the unchecked encroachment of vegetation onto the track will be addressed. In the central area, a driving track will be developed, to include, subject again to English Heritage approval, the remaining parts of the Campbell Circuit. There will also be a "4x4 off road experience" area (do Mercedes owners ever really take their ML350's off road?). Flood alleviation will be provided by scooping out an area to provide a shallow dish (not normally visible), which I understand should provide additional protection to the Museum. Given that the Museum only narrowly avoided flooding following the heavy rain in early January, this is surely valuable. Finally, in this section, space will be safeguarded for the provision of a grass runway.