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IT was once Bathurst’s premier soccer field, but the former Alec Lamberton Field at Kelso could become the home of the city’s first go-kart track.
A development application is being assessed by Bathurst Regional Council, including possible noise and air pollution problems.
The karting initiative, which has met with some opposition from nearby residents on White Rock Road, is also set to be the topic of a discussion forum at an ordinary monthly meeting of council.
This is due to the sensitive nature of the development and the fact eight submissions were received by council while the DA was on public exhibition.
According to Richard Denyer from council’s town planning department, the 4.6ha site is on the corner of Lee and Littlebourne streets.
“Part of the process involved notifying adjoining neighbours and some of the people who lodged submissions,” he said.
“Now that’s been done the next stage will be to take this to a discussion forum.
“From there a report and recommendation will be prepared for council to consider.”
Mr Denyer said council owns the land and a go-kart track is a permissable development on the site.
“However, there are still a lot of issues to resolve as part of our consideration before any consent or decision is made,” he said. “These include noise and air pollution issues.”
A Statement of Environmental Effects prepared for the Bathurst Kart Club details the type of facility it wants to build. It includes an 820m asphalt go-kart track which would be open every day from 9am to 5pm. The track would not be open to the general public.
There would be up to 12 race meetings held each year, with three or four of these to be run during school holidays. Three meetings would be two-day events. There would be up to 80 to 100 competitors at each meeting.
The document also notes there are industrial premises to the north and west of the proposed track and the Scots School is about 200 metres to the south.
Apart from the school, the nearest residences are about 380 metres to the south-east and 350 metres to the north-west.
The assessment claims daily operations are predicted to comply with EPA noise criteria for up to five vehicles racing, although a noise management plan is recommended to limit the noise level and numbers of vehicles on the track at any one time.