But its not all been an easy ride for Wessex Raceway who have transformed the grainstores in just eight weeks, half the time allocated for the project.

The former grainstore near Coombe Bissett

"It's been a hard slog and a lot of hard graft. We've put in 5500 metres of timber, 80,000 square feet of firequilting and prepared 50,000 square feet of asphalt," says Steve Garrad, director of Wessex Raceway.

Earlier this year it was turned down by the New Forest District Council on the grounds that it would create an increase in traffic on the A354.

"We planned for a sixteen-week period to build the facility but we've managed to do it all in just eight weeks," says Steve.

200cc Zip Kart and racetrack at Wessex Raceway

There were also concerns over noise levels but the company carried out independent acoustic tests and launched and successfully won an appeal, giving them the green light, now its all systems go.

The facilities are aimed at everyone from the corporate market to youngsters from the age of eight.

Away from the track itself, the company has invested an enormous sum of money in building bar, restaurant and conference facilities.

Steve Garrad hopes that businesses from as far as Basingstoke and Southampton, as well as more locally, will use the facilities for team-building sessions, product launches, small exhibitions as well as for social occasions.

"There's nothing like it in the country, the facilities we've got here will be second to none - it's an outside racetrack indoors," Steve adds.

Looking to the future the company plans to hold scholarships to take youngsters into the wider world of motor racing.