GAZETTE & HERALD: CASTLE Combe Circuit has come head to head with residents of Yatton Keynell over plans to create a rally school.

Villagers say the development will bring extra noise, traffic and pollution to the picturesque village in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Dorothy Smith, of the Book House, Yatton Keynell, said: "It will bring more traffic into the village and there is already such a lot. They keep on applying for more things. The track is used nearly all year round and it's not just Yatton Keynell that suffers. Sometimes the noise reaches as far as Colerne."

Another resident said: "People like to live in the country because it's quiet, but on race days we have a hazardous stream of traffic coming through the village.

"Nobody ever takes any notice of what the people want the boot is on the wrong foot."

Yatton Keynell Parish Council has objected to the plans fearing extra pollution, noise and more traffic.

Circuit chairman Howard Strawford said he had done all he could to allay local fears and even held a rally driving demonstration for parish council members on August 13 on the site.

He said: "Bearing in mind we have 300,000 cars coming here in a year, an extra 12 cars arriving every three hours just one day a week will not make much difference," he said.

Castle Combe Circuit wants to use grassland to the east of the circuit as a rally school. There is already some Tarmac track there but a further surface is likely to be created.

Parking will be on the grass to the west, ensuring only the rally school cars are used on the track.

Planning officers said the surface will not be very visible. They have recommended approving the change of use up to July 31 2006, when the situation could be reviewed.

No more than two cars would be used on the circuit at any one time, and it would not be used before 9am or after 6pm, or at weekends.

The application will be considered on Wednesday.