WAKEFIELD PARK DA DECISION DEFERRED

The Goulburn Mulwaree Shire Council extraordinary meeting on the approval of Wakefield Park’s DA has been adjourned to July 13.

The extraordinary meeting to hear from those in support and against the Council’s planning department recommendation to deny the DA took place on the night of June 22.

After 18 public forum speakers put forward their views for both sides of the debate, councillors discussed the matter for 90 minutes and adjourned after midnight.

They agreed that greater clarification was needed in regard to noise. They felt that the DA could be approved if real-time noise data was made available to residents. Noise concerns were centred more at their place of residence rather than at the track.

The circuit’s Operations Manager Dean Chapman came with mixed feelings. “We are disappointed that our altered recommendations were not addressed.

“We already have a robust noise mitigation framework in place, and we are enthused by the amount of support that is with us.”

One online petition had well over 8000 signatures and most of the meeting attendees were circuit supporters.

The planners’ report would go to a further meeting, and so too the supplementary report with suggested consent conditions, for councillors to appraise if they wanted to approve the DA.

Councillors have also requested more information on 18 points which include the study of noise issues and how they are handled at Phillip Island. They want to check signage, pre-race activities, start times, and changes to the operational regime.

They will be looking at changes to static noise testing, location of monitoring equipment, providing sound data through the circuit’s website, compliance conditions and to scrap the 1993 consent.

Circuit owners, the Benalla Auto Group’s CEO Chris Lewis-Williams conceded before his time, Wakefield Park hadn’t been vigilant with noise limits in the original 1993 content.

“It wasn’t a good document,” he said. “We are doing our best to be a good neighbour. The facilities are dated and need to be developed.”

Councillors agreed that they along with all parties want to see the facility remain viable and stated that they are searching for a compromise. They also want the matter resolved before August when the next council elections take place.

If the DA is approved with altered consent conditions, it may impact the venue’s operating costs.

“Regardless of the decision on July 13, we have to consider our core customers, that is, grassroots motorsport, and they need to be looked after. We don’t want to pass a financial burden onto them,” Chapman concluded.

For more of the latest motorsport news pick up the current issue of Auto Action. Also make sure you follow us on social media Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or our weekly email newsletter for all the latest updates between issues.