Another velodrome for the UK?

By Carlton Reid, bikebiz.co.uk

Somerset newspaper The County Gazette reports that a farmer has received planning permission to build a velodrome in his "40-acre field at junction 25 of the M5," near Taunton in Britain's West Country.

The newspaper first talked of the plans last year but they were dismissed as fantasy, but that fantasy is closer to reality, reports the paper. Farmer Steve Ling from Nyne-head near Wellington is now confident he will build the velodrome on his farm and the County Gazette reports that he is in discussions with a developer.

A spokesperson for the London 2012 Olympics told the newspaper "we welcome the proposal". A West Country velodrome could be used as a training base for track teams at the London Olympics.