Motorsport: Hampton Downs gets starter's orders

An artist's impression of the complex, now set to open in mid-2008. Included are trackside apartments, an industrial park, lifestyle blocks, two circuits and a skidpan.

Hampton Downs, the motorsport complex near Meremere that seemed to be a godsend for Aucklanders, has at last had some good news.

After frustrating delays caused by resource consent procedures, the deadline for objections has passed and a three-day hearing before the Waikato District Council in Ngaruawahia has been scheduled for next month.

Tony Roberts, managing director of Hampton Downs, says the $100 million project has been put 12 months behind schedule but, all going well, the circuits should be operating in the middle of 2008.

"Most countries build infrastructure to encourage development, while in New Zealand we seem hell bent on putting as many obstacles in the way as possible," he says.

"Overseas, in places like China and Bahrain, they seem to need only 18 months from start to finish."

When submissions closed, there were many in favour of the development. The only major objectors were Transit, which was worried about queues forming on State Highway 1 during major events, and the Corrections Department, which wanted more information on how their neighbouring prison would be affected.

"I'm sure we can satisfy them both and also a property owner to the south who wanted some conditions on approval," says Roberts. "Our traffic consultants note that we have parking for 8000 compared with 1500 at Pukekohe and they say queues won't happen.

"We also intend to stage smaller events in order to have the database for when something bigger comes along."

The Hampton Downs circuits will cater mainly for club, classic and historic meetings and New Zealand national classes, but will be able to hold virtually any motor-racing event, except Formula One.

It will be the first fully integrated motorsport park in New Zealand and one of a few in the world. It will incorporate trackside apartments, an industrial park, lifestyle blocks, a camping ground, two circuits and a skidpan.

Many of the concepts, such as the apartments and lifestyle blocks, have been "borrowed"from sports such as golf.

Roberts says the apartments have all been sold, as have the first group of industrial sites. Around 500 jobs will be created in an area hard hit by the closing of the Meremere power station.

The Hampton Downs promoters are not dismayed by the move of the Australian V8 Supercars to a street race in Hamilton from 2008, or the redevelopment of the Taupo circuit and the $2 million pledge from the Government for its further enhancement.

"The project was never conceived with the V8s in mind," says Roberts. "We can co-exist quite happily with Taupo and Pukekohe."

"Our circuits are almost totally booked out by driving schools, even before construction gets under way."

A few years ago a South Island motorsport official trumpeted the news that Pukekohe was dead and Aucklanders would have to travel to the deep south to watch the sport.

With a Whenuapai festival being promoted, a street race in Hamilton, the new Taupo track, the Hampton Downs complex and Pukekohe still up and running, motorsport in the north has rarely been healthier.