The Gawler Harness Racing Club could be offered a 10.5 hectare parcel of land to develop a new training facility.
The Light Regional Council held a special meeting last night, after the Herald print deadline, where the recommendation for the deal may have been rubber-stamped.
If these options are accepted, a new training track could be established within a stone’s throw of the current home of the harness club, located on the outskirts of Gawler.
The land for a training track has been suggested after negotiations involving the club, the State Government and the Light Regional Council.
Brian Carr, Light Regional Council chief executive officer, said the proposal offered a “complete package”, and presented a good result for all.
On Tuesday, Mr Carr said he would not pre-empt a decision of council.
However, council management had recommended the proposal be accepted and the elected members had responded favourably to it at a recent briefing.
“It has all been worked up with the Gawler Harness Racing Club,” Mr Carr said. “And we’ve had very productive and positive discussions.”
How the land deal works:
- The council will exchange about 6.6 hectares of aerodrome land for the entire residual land of the existing Gawler Harness Racing Club to be compulsory acquired by the State Government (about 11.6 hectares with a $100,000 allowance for severance and injurious affection).
- The State Government will compulsorily acquire the Buchfelde land, severs a portion for the new NEXY corridor, and transfers the balance (about five hectares) to the council at (in effect) no cost to the council.
- The council agrees to sell portion of the NEXY residual land, about 10.5 hectares, to the Gawler Harness Racing Club at $50,000 per hectare, which is the same rate the club received from the State Government for the sale of its land. The estimated sale proceeds to be in the order of $525,000.
If adopted, this arrangement will allow the NEXY Project to continue without delay.
It could enable the harness racing club to develop a new training track close to their current home, which will be acquired by the State Government for the NEXY corridor.
This deal could also allow the Adelaide Soaring Club to re-establish their operations on the restructured site.
And the arrangement would secure land, more than $600,000, and a State Government-paid road upgrade for the council.
However, this will leave the Gawler Harness Racing Club without a facility to host race meetings.
“Where the harness racing club will actually race is a matter for the future,” Mr Carr said.
However, the Light Regional Council has previously indicated it is prepared to be involved in discussions that may result in the merger of the Gawler and Kapunda Harness Racing Clubs.
This could allow for the Gawler club to host meetings at Kapunda, and for the possible redevelopment of this facility.
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