PedalPark planned for former RAF base near Norfolk

Plans have been unveiled for a three-mile road cycling track on the perimeter road of a former RAF base near Norwich as part of a proposed leisure cycling facility.

PedalPark at the former RAF Coltishall is the brainchild Neil Turner, owner of Pedal Revolution which has branches in Norwich, Cromer and Gorleston, reports BBC News.

He is seeking £300,000 in funding from bodies such as the National Lottery and Sport England  to help turn his vision for the not-for-profit facility into reality.

He says the road itself would not need resurfacing, with the money used to turn the operations room at the former airfield - now known as Scottow Business Park - into a cafe, workshop and base for the PedalPark.

Mr Turner said that the local area was currently lacking such a facility, which he said would be the "only cycle park this side of London."

He said: "Cycling is the fastest growing sport, our most successful event at the last two Olympiads and, quite frankly, road cycling has got no facilities at all.

"We've been working with Norfolk County Council and we're really excited about creating such a wonderful community asset.

"It is about competition, but it will also be a hub for recreational activity."

Norfolk County Council walking and cycling champion, Councillor Hilary Cox. commented: "It's important because it will cover all aspects of cycling - competitions, functions, training youngsters and it will link up with other cycle tracks."

More information about the proposed PedalPark is available on the Pedal Revolution website.

Operational from the summer of 1940 - Sir Douglas Bader was commanding officer of 242 Squadron stationed at Coltishall during the Battle of Britain - the base was decommissioned in 2006.

The area within the perimeter now houses a solar farm.