Alastair Florance writes from Lotus: “I will send an update email about the exciting developments at Lotus’ HQ but in the meantime, here is the Hethel Track Calendar 2021:

As you can see, activities such as the Lotus Driving Academy (LDA) and the Customer Driving Experiences are not planned to restart until July 2021. We are also hosting the GreenPower event at Hethel (https://www.greenpower.co.uk/) where young people are encouraged, through science, technology, engineering and maths to design, build and race an electric car.

This Sunday (25 April 2021), the Lotus Motor Club (LMC) will be hosting one of its twice yearly “Sprints” on the Track from 09:00 to 17:30 and the same noise limits and testing will be in force as in previous events. However, in previous years the LMC has invited spectators to watch the competition, but due to strict Covid 19 compliance procedures, this unfortunately will not be possible this year.

As always, should you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to contact me.”

ALASTAIR FLORANCE, GROUP PR MANAGER

aflorance@lotuscars.com / 01953 608462 / Hethel, Norwich, Norfolk, NR14 8EZ, England


Adrian Nicholas,  Specialist Technical Advisor at SNC (01508 533722; anicholas@s-norfolk.gov.uk ) has written of contact with Group Lotus and discussions about their Hethel track use and related noise/inconvenience to neighbours.

When we posted about this in February 2019, we had hoped to hear that Group Lotus were reinstating their periodic email updates sent to residents living near their site. These would provide information about the company’s activities, including planned use of the Hethel test track.  We have heard nothing about this, but have received a copy of their 2019 calendar for track use – see here

However residents have heard noise from cars on the Hethel track. Some find this untenable. If this is you, then please let Adrian Nicholas know. Write to him at anicholas@s-norfolk.gov.uk providing details of your complaint.


Lotus have written about the Track calendar 2017. They have new internal procedures intended to reduce their impact on the community:

  • No Lotus Driving Academy at Hethel – LDA is now a global activity with Academies in Asia, North America and Europe
  • No more Mitsubishi Lancer Club Sprint (exceptionally noisy vehicles)
  • No more formula type race car testing by 3rd parties
  • No vehicle running in evenings unless critical to Lotus business
  • No back to back events over the same or consecutive weekends
  • Weekend Events classed “potentially noisy” spaced out at no more than 1 per month with more than 4 weeks interval on average
  • Updates for the local community.

Potentially noisy users in 2017 currently limited to:

Lotus on Track:

  • No more than 6 Saturday events per year.
  • Comprises Lotus product owners Track Day events.
  • All vehicles noise tested to comply with regulation limits and records kept.
  • Has been running for over 10 years at Hethel.

Lotus Motor Club Sprint:

  • 2 fixed date Sunday events per year – 2nd April and 6th August 2017
  • Comprises Lotus staff club members, Lotus owners, other varied vehicles from associated clubs.
  • All vehicles noise tested to comply with  MSA regulation limits and records kept.
  • Has been running for 20 years at Hethel.

Classic Team Lotus:

  • 2 hours allocated per week during office hours for testing. Generally used once or twice per month)
  • Comprises classic and vintage Lotus racing cars.

Lotus Cars Engineering:

  • Week days and possibly week ends during core hours.
  • Vehicle engineering activities for Lotus products and 3rd party clients.
  • Comprises road going type vehicles.

Any comments to Alastair Florance, Group PR Manager, GROUP LOTUS PLC, Hethel, NR14 8EZ

T: 01953-608462 or E: aflorance@lotuscars.com


An occasional meeting is held between Lotus Group plc and local residents to discuss matters arising from use of the track at Hethel by Lotus and their Driving Academy. You may be interested that Lotus Group are offering a 10% discount for residents’ family members. Contact Danny Hartgrove (dhartgrove@lotuscars.com) for more details.

Meeting notes: Local Residents Meeting 26 Feb 2015

2015 schedule for Lotus events: LDA CALENDAR 2015

The key to the codes in the schedule is:

FT = Factory Tour
HFT = Heritage Factory Tour (Includes CTL)
SYS = Scare yourself Sensible (1/2 Day Track Event)
L1,2,3 = Lotus Driving Academy Track Events
LOT = Lotus on Track (Lotus Owners Track Event)
LMC = Lotus Motor Club (Annual Sprint track Event)