WORK on the Swindon Robins’ new home is still on course, despite delays in getting the detailed plans through.

Construction of the Robins’ new £5m home was hoped to be under way by now, but Clarke Osborne, of Gaming International, who owns the land, has indicated that work should start in the next month.

The process, which appears set to go, is being held up by detailed plans relating to the ground levels, which affect how the site drains excess water, and the noise barriers surrounding the track.

Once these two documents are submitted to the council as part of the reserve matter application, then work should get underway.

“We are waiting to put in our reserve matters application, which is all finished and ready to go, but it is waiting for two pieces of information,” said Osborne.

“We are reliant on others to do that, so that is not entirely within our control.

“Within the plan, there are noise attenuation barriers that go around the stadium and we have the design and we are just now waiting for the final specification as regard to height and location.

“When they are through, which is imminent, then the application will be able to be formally committed.

“There is nothing put back. It is all going in the right direction and the whole process is going. It is just, on a personal basis, I get a bit frustrated because I would like it to go a bit faster.”

The new venue, which will not only have new facilities for the riders but is being designed so it is ideal for television companies to broadcast events, will be built next to the existing Abbey Stadium.

Provisions have been taken to ensure the transition is a smooth one and that there is limited impact on both the team and the spectators.

“We’re set. The contractors are there. We’re going through all the plans and the process is set for how we change from one venue to the other,” added Osborne.

“We have got interim arrangements to make because we have to redo where the attendees go into the stadium for example, but all that is planned out.

“Even down to where the speedway riders will go and how they get into the pits - that whole changeover has had to be planned out.

“I would expect that we are going to be actually working on site within a month or two. It is that close.”