Work begins on Stratford Park motorsport project

Wednesday, 10 July 2024

Project manager Tracey Blake is excited about work starting on the multimillion-dollar motorsport park in Stratford.

Ground work is about to start on a highly anticipated multimillion-dollar motorsport park being developed at Stratford.

The joint venture between the Taranaki Motorsport Facility Trust and the Stratford A&P Association will eventually cover 99ha and include circuit racing, a drag strip, a car museum, gravel sprints and driver training, on land adjacent to the existing showgrounds and speedway.

A $97,000 grant from the Taranaki Electricity Trust will cover power installation, an entranceway, car park, ablution block, and the build of new offices, work that will enable events to start in the coming months.

Project Steering Committee chairman Philip Macey said the grant was “a huge step forward” for the project, which was first mooted in 2016.

It was part of the estimated $75 million Stratford Park plan that would also involve equestrian facilities being developed, along with the showgrounds and an education and concert venue, over the next decades.

“This legacy project is for the people of Taranaki. Be it as a spectator or participant,” Macey said.

Project manager Tracey Blake said the work at the Monmouth Rd entrance to the park would start in the next few weeks.

Blake says the grant from TET had enabled them to get the first spade in the ground.

“This grant from the TET is like the first spade in the ground to get the motor sports facilities underway,” she said.

“It’s really exciting.”

The committee also planned to build a concrete pad that could be used for car parking and driver training as well as hosting drift events.

A gravel sprint area had already been set up by the Motorsport Trust in conjunction with the Taranaki and South Taranaki Car Clubs, and was already being used, Blake said.

“We are in talks at the moment with groups wishing to set up driver training and other businesses on site,” she said.

Having the power, water and toilet facilities would enable plans to progress.

“Stratford Park cannot thank TET enough for their support of this segment as we are thrilled to look positively towards the project taking another step forward,” she said.

Ian McCaul, left, Paul Vanner and Philip Macey first showed off plans for the Stratford motorsport park in 2022. (File photo)

“Central Taranaki will have an amazing facility that will also be good for people from South Taranaki and New Plymouth.”

TET chairperson Mike Davey said he was pleased to see the motorsport project moving along, after the Trust granted $150,000 for a feasibility study and and operating costs a year ago.

Getting the car park and access work done would enable them to start holding events, he said.

“It’s going to be really good for Stratford. We’re really proud to support this initiative.”

The park project was first mooted in December 2016 and got a boost when the Stratford District Council agreed to loan it $7m to purchase land adjoining the existing facilities.

On the equestrian side of the project, Blake said funding was being sought for the construction of two arenas which will provide an all-weather riding and training facility on land on the south side of the showgrounds.

Meanwhile, the committee was raising more cash by selling lifetime advertising space on a collection of 200 4m-by-2m motor safety barriers it had bought second-hand from Pukekohe, which would be used throughout the Stratford Park property.