Anger over Silverstone hotel plan

An artist's impression of the planned flagship hotel

Plans for a £30m eight-storey flagship hotel at the home of the British Grand Prix has angered people living in the nearby village.

The British Racing Drivers Club (BRDC) , which owns the race track at Silverstone in Northamptonshire, wants to build the complex next to the new £56m slip road which leads to the circuit.

The planned hotel would have a conference centre, leisure facilities, a car museum and have 120 bedrooms.

The BRDC's agent, Allan Cave, said the innovative design was deliberately prominent and intended to be different and exciting.

'Massive construction'

Eddie Craven, who spearheaded the successful campaign for a bypass for Silverstone, said villagers were not objecting to a hotel being built.

"My objections are the proposed height, the size and the construction materials to be used," he said.

He understood one of the eight storeys would be underground.

"It will be a massive construction - it will completely dominate the area of Silverstone," he said.

"I am told it is a hi-tech building made of glass and aluminium and it will completely not reflect in any way the buildings and the planning within Silverstone village."