Top Gear’s Dunsfold track will be torn down, redeveloped to build affordable housing

Top Gear has contributed to automotive history quite a bit and built a solid group of fans throughout the numerous years that it has been around. That’s why it saddened us to learn that the Dunsfold Aerodome, which is also Top Gear’s test track and main shooting studio, will soon be demolished and be converted into a complex of 1,800 homes. This plan, which has been in consideration since 2015, was approved by England’s Secretary of State on March 29.

Jim McAllister, Dunsfold Park Chief Executive, said in the announcement of the project’s acceptance that this decision is “very positive.” Not only will the new development in Dunsfold give homes to young families who are priced out of the area, they will also deliver a range of new community facilities together with infrastructure improvements.

Initial plans for this site go all the way back to 2015. The 540 homes that will be built will be marked as affordable housing. Aside from that, there will also be parks, sports fields, and a health center as part of the project. The current Dunsfold Business Park will also expand. To date, there are currently about 100 businesses and 900 employees in the area.

According to Get Survey, a website focused on the local area, the plan had plenty of controversies surrounding it. One of the biggest worries of the citizens is the fact that population will further be increased, and this could put a strain on the local infrastructure, particularly the roads. Though the local government council was in favor of the project, there were still a lot of people that were against it. This is why the Secretary of State Sajid Javid had to get into the picture to make the final decision.

Since 2002, the Dunsfold Aerodome has been home to Top Gear’s test track. Right now, there has been no announcement yet about where the show will move their test track. To give you a tiny bit of trivia, the fastest road legal model around this track is the McLaren 675LT with a time of 1:13.7. But it was the 2004 Renault R24 Formula One car that completed the lap in 59 seconds.

We think that to keep some part of Top Gear’s history in the soon-to-be-built Dunsfold housing, developers should name the streets after the Top Gear hosts or its characters and cars. A sculpture or statue is also one of the proposals. Do you have other suggestions? Now, the question is, where will the TV put up their new track?