Short term and long term environmental impact of the Royal Ascort - Essay Example

Short Term and Long Term Environmental Impact of the Royal Ascot Race Introduction Commissioned by Her Majesty the Queen, The Royal Ascot is one of the most premier horse racing facility in the world. Over a 300 years period, the venue has established itself as the horse racing headquarters of the world and it has become the central attraction in the British social calendar. Despite all the prestige associated with the Ascot Racecourse just like any other development, its construction and location has had some form of impact on the surrounding environment, both positive and negative impact.1. Environment positive impacta) Urban renewalAs a result of superior architectural standards, notable improvements have been made on the surrounding aesthetic environment making it even more pleasing to the eyes.

This includes improving the gateway view from the Western Approach and opening up the views of open land and Ascot’s high street. Introduction of the new pond must have improved the areas ecological standing through habitat diversification. b) Developing infrastructure and transportRedevelopment of the racecourse came with inherent benefits like infrastructural improvements especially in road networks which are meant to make the racecourse to be more accessible. The construction of two underpasses improved the traffic flow in the region.c) Green events to raise environmental awarenessThese include sustainable initiatives like The Raceday Travel Plan and The Green Travel Plan which are meant to raise awareness on sustainable transport solutions. d) 2006 redevelopment of Ascot Racecourse in BerkshireThe most notable aspect of the 2006 redevelopment of the Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire is that the developer endeavored to keep the service roads, all the perimeter walls, and under and inside the new grandstand, clear of construction debris even as the construction work was ongoing.

The racecourse developer worked with a team of road sweepers to ensure that during the entire project, existing roads, underpasses and new roads were swept clean. Prior to the opening of the racecourse, the team worked for 24 hours a day for a period of one week to ensure that the service roads and the highways are clean. This approach ensured that the high street areas and the racecourse were clear of rubbish and site debris which helped to control the environmental impact of the reconstruction and prevent disruption of residents in the two year period. 2. Environmental negative impacta) PollutionThe racecourse facility borders a legislated green belt which is a protected territory.

Limited developments have been done on the green belt. b) NoiseAs a key event in the British social calendar, the Ascot racing facility hosts up to 80,000 people during some of its key events. Such a gathering of people in an open space is bound to lead to noise pollution as the massive crowd shouts to cheer their favorite horse to victory.c) Traffic Congestion Traffic congestion has a negative environmental impact because of the high concentration of exhaust fumes that is likely to take place as a result of the congestion.

Event days at Ascot Racecourse are often characterized by a high traffic concentration hence environmental pollution through the emission of exhaust fumes. d) Environmental DamageOver the 300 years period of existence, the Ascot Racecourse has been renovated and relocated countless times. Key recent relocation and renovation was in 2004 when the Ascot golf course was moved to create more room for the Straight Mile and the Chase Track. The resurfacing process involving moving earth must have interfered with the pre-existing ecosystem.