Asian Motor Sports

Motorsport is about to get a new home in south Auckland. The Manukau City Council said today it had won a special motorsport zone for Colin Dale Park near Auckland airport.

The approval would “smooth the path to it becoming a citywide and regional facility for a wide range of motorsport,” said Dr Digby Whyte, group manager, Manukau Parks.

He said motor sports had unique environmental effects which needed to be managed, and that put restrictions on where they could be located.

“The park is ideally located in a rural pocket surrounded by metropolitan Auckland near the airport. It’s good news for motorsport codes and fans because it is getting harder for motorsport to find a venue in or near the city because of noise issues,” he said.

He said there would be some limits on the size of events until more vehicle access was developed.

There would also be limits on the number of events with high levels of noise which could be run but as an example, “speedway could operate with far less restriction than at Western Springs”.

He said time and noise restrictions would apply and the park could not be used for motor sport on Good Friday, Anzac Day and Christmas Day.