Planning panel wrestles with detail of V8 race application

By BERNARD ORSMAN

After nine days of hearings, plenty of passion, equal doses of angst and mountains of evidence, the three independent planning commissioners hearing the resource consent application for the proposed V8 supercar street race retired yesterday to make a decision.

The commissioners have 15 working days to decide whether the race can take place round Victoria Park in central Auckland annually for seven years from April 2006, and under what conditions.

The applicants' lawyer, Malcolm Maclean, said in his summing-up that the event would be positive and fun-filled.

He quoted Dean Calvert, general manager of race promoter IMG, who said the supercar event was more than a motor race.

"It is a festival of fun and activity that includes social and community events away from the event ... There will be widespread television coverage that will showcase the beautiful scenery the Auckland region has to offer, in addition to the race itself."

If resource consent is granted to the applicants, Auckland City Council and IMG, council officers will consider the conditions and expected extra costs and report to the new council on November 25 or next month for a final political decision.

Of the 19 councillors plus Mayor Dick Hubbard, 10 councillors are opposed to the race location and seven are in favour.

Mr Hubbard has said his support is conditional on Transit New Zealand backing the race and a successful resource consent outcome that satisfies IMG.

The two new Action Hobson councillors, Christine Caughey and Richard Simpson, have been considering the issue but have not declared their hand.

If Mr Hubbard and the Action Hobson pair support the race, the vote will be 10-all and Mr Hubbard will have the casting vote.

On the final day of hearings, Robert McGregor, the owner of the Victoria Park New World supermarket, dropped his opposition to the event.

He refused to say whether a confidential agreement with the applicants included financial compensation.

Lawyers for Beaumont Quarter, a development of 250 apartments and townhouses opposite Victoria Park, remain opposed to the race on the grounds that very little extra work has been done on disruptive impacts for the 500 or so residents.