Manukau is a step closer to having an international motorsport venue near the Auckland airport.
The council is developing Colin Dale Park as a venue for a wide range of motor sports and leisure activities and to be a centre for regional, national and international events.
Background
The concept was initiated back in 2006 in response to approaches to the council and after many workshops that indicated that the needs of motor and other similar sports are not currently being met in the Auckland region.
The 57-hectare venue is expected to promote motor sports as a legitimate recreational activity and establish quality facilities for a range of family entertainment, safe participation for young people and for commercial attractions.
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Preliminary concept plan
The preliminary concept plan highlighted the potential use for go-karts, speedway, off-road racing/motocross, radio-controlled cars, blokarts, BMX and jet sprint boats. It underlined the need for both club-based activities as well as commercial activities on a sharing basis.
This concept plan identified three main speedway circuits - a short track circuit for motor cycles and cars, a go-kart track and a venue for off-road racing/motocross.
Download the 
concept plan (PDF 626kb).
The expressions of interest from the community will provide the opportunity to review the concept and take it to the next stage of identifying suitable activities and users.
The site was acquired by the council as a reserve and it has been rezoned predominantly as Public Open Space 3.
Motor sport activities have unique environmental effects which need to be managed, and this puts restrictions on where these activities can be located. The park is ideally located in a rural pocket surrounded by metropolitan Auckland and is close to the airport.
There will be some limits to the scale of events until vehicle access is developed further. Also, there are limits on the number of events with high levels of noise, but by way of example, motorsports should be able to operate with less restriction than at Western Springs.
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Location
The park is adjacent to Manukau Harbour and the Puhinui Reserve, on Prices Road off Puhinui Road (State Highway 20B) near the airport.
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