Future of Wakefield Park

[Carrera28]

Courtesy of Speedcafe:

https://www.speedcafe.com/2022/01/31/wakefield-park-future-to-be-discussed-in-crucial-council-meeting/

 

Wakefield Park future to be discussed in crucial council meeting

By Daniel Herrero

Monday 31st January, 2022 - 8:00am

The future of Wakefield Park Raceway will be a topic of discussion in a council meeting this Tuesday night, as court proceedings over its noise limits loom within weeks.

The fate of the Benalla Auto Club-owned circuit hangs in the balance as a result of last year’s conditionally approved development application, which is to be the subject of a New South Wales Land and Environment Court (LEC) hearing on March 8-10 after mediation with Goulburn Mulwaree Council and residents failed in November.

However, those proceedings could yet be avoided, depending on whether or not Wakefield Park and those key stakeholders can reach a compromise over how the circuit will operate going forward.

Cr Jason Shepherd, who was elected when Goulburn went to the polls in local government elections last December, has put forward a motion to the council meeting which takes place tomorrow night.

While mediation has already fallen over, just before that election, the motion could pave the way for further talks over the circuit’s operations.

“Councillors have been informally discussing over the past few weeks that there is value in meeting with Wakefield Park and the affected residents as soon as possible to see if there is a way forward within planning and environmental boundaries that allows (the raceway) to be commercially viable, while mitigating residents’ concerns,” states that motion.

Under the circuit’s conditionally approved development application, a three-tiered noise limit system would apply, implemented gradually and taking full effect in 2024.

Specifically, it would be allowed up to 30 days per year at 95 dBA, which is what a race meeting would run to, and another 100 at 85 dBA.

While Wakefield Park has diversified its operations somewhat, motorsport is still the most important part of its business, and hence management considers the aforementioned limits infeasible.

It wants up to 75 days per year of noise up to 95 dBA, as few as 78 ‘respite’ days, being those with noise below 75 dBA, and thus around 200 days from 75 to 85 dBA.

Wakefield Park operations manager Dean Chapman told Speedcafe.com that he too is open to talks which would stave off an LEC hearing.

He also noted the importance of the circuit to motorsport in NSW given the heavy utilisation of Sydney Motorsport Park, the only other permanent race track in the state.

“We’re working for a workable solution for the motorsport community within New South Wales and Australia, but we’re also looking for an opportunity to ensure that we’re a good community member in Goulburn,” said Chapman.

“But it needs to be a workable solution for everybody involved.

“We don’t want to operate 365 days a year with race cars going around but we want the opportunity for motorsport to be able to flourish, and our business to have the opportunity in the area.

“There’s a middle, happy ground for everyone to get along, and I feel we can make that, especially before we go to a courtroom.”

Chapman is also open to any number of options which might alleviate the concerns of those residents who have objected to the circuit’s proposal.

“There’s always reasonable and feasible options, but they need to be reasonable and they need to be feasible to work,” he added.

“We can’t go build a dome over the top that’s worth x amount of money and we’ll never ever get a return on it, so it has to be a reasonable solution for not only the residents, but also us as well, to be able to keep operating.

“We’re obviously going to have to outlay a lot of dollars to be able to upgrade the venue, but if we’re able to do some small upgrades for the customers of Wakefield Park, and look at possible options, there’s always things that we can happily discuss at Wakefield Park.

“The door’s not closed on anything.”

[Raven]

I am down there on the 13th for a sprint meeting and will see what the go is , I know one of my cars will struggle with the 95db and the last couple times I was down there they would noise test you in the dummy grid at 3000rpm , the funny thing is my cars pass the 3000rpm in the dummy grid with ease as my engines dont start to generate any power till they are above 6000rpm the problem is when they get on track and do 13500 to 14000rpm  they exceed the 95db limit and set the meter off , will be taking down a small silencer to bolt on the end of the exhaust if it becomes a drama ..

[Coastr]

Is this another case of racetrack built on open land then residents move in and start complaining?

[Zelrik911]

Yes

There is a bit of rat cunning involved. The land is cheap because of the racetrack noise.

People buy up & then start complaining - get on Council - form pressure groups to protect their children!! Racing is evicted & the land value skyrockets.

[sleazius]

5 hours ago, Coastr said:

Is this another case of racetrack built on open land then residents move in and start complaining?

See residents of mascot and surrounding areas pushing for non-24hr operation when the airport was established in 1919, then demanding that the residents of western sydney endure a 24hr airport instead - cause reasons.

[Coastr]

5 hours ago, Zelrik911 said:

Yes

There is a bit of rat cunning involved. The land is cheap because of the racetrack noise.

People buy up & then start complaining - get on Council - form pressure groups to protect their children!! Racing is evicted & the land value skyrockets.

Funny if EV racing takes off and pulls the rug on their schemes.

[dobbo]

Yes the residents should cop it sweet if the track was there before them. We've already lost ameroo and oran park to housing. There has been talk of building a new track near Wyee for years but can't the funds. There's a small airport near me and the Jonny come latleys tried to shut it down citing too much noise.      

[Raven]

My understanding of the situation was that a member of the Goulburn Council purchased a neighbouring property about 5 years ago and has been dragging the Track owners in and out of court for several years trying to get it closed or send them into financial ruin , obviously a huge vested and personal interest being undertaken by this council member despite the income the track brings to the local community , I will stay in Hotel on Saturday evening and eat in a local restaurant supporting Goulburn,s businesses  ,,,,, but that,s ok racers like myself will comply with the DB limits if required .

[Peter M]

I couldn't understand why the track operation was at risk.  This SMH story today explains it:  Wakefield Park racetrack to close on September 1 - Drive

Appears they have been operating outside their original development consent for decades. Appears the track owners by taking a dispute over a proposed new development application to improve pit facilities to the Land and Environment Court has triggered the enforcement of the original consent approval that unfortunately makes the track unviable financially.

I'm surprised the track owners didn't see this possibility occurring.

[Raven]

Help Save Wakefield Park Raceway!

 

THE e-PETITION IS HERE . . . AND THE TIME TO ACT IS NOW!

 

Never has Wakefield Park, Motorsport and the Goulburn regional economy needed your voice more!

 

It is imperative that we can collect a minimum of 20,000 signatures ASAP to get this matter tabled and debated in NSW Parliament.

 

The petition is ONLY OPEN FOR 3 WEEKS and only NSW RESIDENTS are allowed to sign it.

 

Please sign the e-petition after clicking on this link: https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/.../epetition-details...

 

It would also be great if you could share this far and wide with all your NSW friends & family and ask them to share it with all their friends.

 

This is our chance to demonstrate to NSW Parliament how important Wakefield Park is to all of us.

 

Petition closes 28 October 2022

 

You can also sign up to the Save Wakefield Park website to receive updates on this campaign: www.savewakefieldparkraceway.com

[Peter M]

As at 6.05pm on 8 October there were 5,738 signatures

[st3ve]

Just signed, 7,401 sigs at present.  I have sent the link to all my bike mates.
Wakefield isn't exactly one of the great tracks of the world, but at least it exists.  You'd have to think the chance of any new tracks being built in this age is pretty slim, so we need to hang onto the ones we have.

On a tangent, I was thinking that as the dreaded electrified sh!tboxes become more prolific, noise concerns for tracks will become less of an issue.