Hikurangi residents are to be asked for their thoughts on establishing a motorsport and recreation park on an isolated piece of former forestry land in their area.
Updated:
25/03/2011 4:25 p.m.
The site can be reached from Gomez Rd east of Hikurangi, is Whangarei District Council owned and is bounded by forestry land, water catchment land and farmland.
Infrastructure Committee chairman Greg Martin says the suitability of the site as a motorsport area was raised several years ago when Council was considering future uses for the now largely cleared forestry land.
The District’s scattered motorsport clubs have been coming under increasing pressure from spreading residential development and at one stage a hub was being considered in the Ruakaka area. That proved unsuitable and then Hikurangi was suggested as an alternative.
Initial talks with the sporting groups have been positive and Council is now considering moving on to the next consultation stage, says Cr Martin.
"If we can get general agreement and there are no new problems identified then I can see this being a great step forward for the district," says Mayor Morris Cutforth. "The motor sports and other codes will benefit from being in one area and the public will have a single point of focus. It’ll be to motor sports what Kensington Park is to ball games, but on a hugely different scale."
The proposal goes before the Environment Committee on 8 December 2010 and if backed there, Council will begin to assess in detail technical issues along with consulting with stakeholders and the community.
That consultation will be a necessary part of rezoning the 190 hectare site through a public plan change to a site specific or 'bespoke' zone which currently allow specific planning frameworks for the Airport and Marsden Port.
If that process is completed the project will move from Environmental Services to the Infrastructure Committee for further development. "But that could be some time away, there’s a lot of consulting and paperwork to complete first," says Cr Martin.
Aside from the motorsport groups like motor cross, go karts, saloon and stockcars, the park would also accommodate shooting ranges for the District’s gun clubs which are also being squeezed out of their existing sites. By putting all the sports in one area it is expected they could share club rooms and other facilities like vehicle wash down areas and parking areas.
Initial investigations have also identified potential to accommodate other outdoor activities like abseiling, rock climbing and outdoor adventure courses.
If the Plan change is successful it is anticipated that the development of the site will occur in a staged fashion. Council already owns the land and the sports that would move there lease or own their own sites at present. Sale of those assets could be used to finance relocation and development.
"It’s a great concept, but now it’s time for Hikurangi people and other stakeholders to tell us what they think," says Mayor Cutforth. "We won’t be able to progress much further without their views and input."