Three successive days of motorsport racing in Cromwell over Easter have been given the green light, meaning two venues can stage races on the same day for up to 12 hours.
The Highlands Motorsport Park has been given permission by the Central Otago District Council's hearing panel to hold a race meeting on Easter Sunday, the same day as the neighbouring Central Motor Speedway.
The park applied to vary one of its resource consent conditions as it was prohibited from holding a race meeting on the same day as its neighbour. Highlands had planned a two-day race meeting on Easter Saturday and Sunday (April 19-20) and the speedway planned to race on Good Friday and from 4pm on Easter Sunday.
Ten submitters supported the application and the same number opposed it, while one was neutral. Neighbours of the two motorsport venues were among the opponents. Some gave evidence at the hearing earlier this month and said they would face ''intrusive and intolerable'' noise for an extended time, 12 hours or more, during the combined race day.
The panel has adopted the recommendation of council planner David Whitney, in allowing the resource consent to be altered so both motorsport venues can stage racing each year on Easter Sunday.
The change was appropriate and any adverse effects would be limited and ''outweighed by the positive effects associated with the proposal'', the hearings panel said.
It noted the speedway's resource consent, issued in 1980, had no limit on the number of days' racing and the only constraint on noise was that it had to conform to standards set by the New Zealand Speedway Association and the Stock Car Association.
Approached for comment yesterday, Highlands general manager Mike Sentch said the panel's decision was a good outcome.
''It shows that the council does understand the potential of the park.
''I think that some of the objections relate to what happened in the past and it's different now and things have changed.
''We're conscious that we have to be good neighbours and obviously the speedway also has to be aware, too, and pick up on some of the issues raised at the hearing which were about the speedway,'' he said.
Highlands was operating within the terms of its resource consent and there were no breaches of any conditions.
Jack Searle, of Bannockburn, who opposed the park's application, said the decision meant ''every Easter Saturday and Sunday in Cromwell will be given over to motor racing from 8am to late on Saturday and from 10am to late on Sunday.''
Visitors and residents who were not interested in motorsport would have some of their holiday spoilt by the noise emanating from the racetracks, he said.
''I do not know anyone who is opposed to the racing as such, but many find the noise a great disturbance and the issue of excessive noise in general still has to be addressed, by the council and the community.''
Submitters have 15 working days, from when the decision was released, to appeal to the Environment Court.
