Community outcry over ‘backroom deals’ to sell off Avondale Racecourse
Sunday, 23 February 2025
As the Government moves to consolidate horse-racing in New Zealand, community groups have found themselves jockeying with developers over the future of the Avondale Racecourse, reports Jonathan Killick.
The odds aren’t looking great for the Avondale markets, as details of a secretive deal have emerged that could see the Auckland icon make way for townhouses and apartments.
It’s alleged that New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) has entered into backroom negotiations with Fletcher Living to sell off Avondale Racecourse, where the markets are held each Sunday.
Various community groups have rallied to oppose the sale, fearing it could see the removal of a significant green space from the fast-intensifying suburb.
Apart from being the home of the 135-year-old Avondale Jockey Club and the markets, the grounds are leased by council for sports use and are said to be a favoured location for a new community pool.
But, the final decision over future use won’t be up to the community. Legislation brought in by Racing Minister Winston Peters in 2020 has given powers to NZTR to transfer property ownership of any club grounds it deems “surplus”.
Locals have labelled it “a land grab”.
But, the transfer is part of a nationwide strategy to consolidate the racing industry and improve profitability, and Avondale has been signalled as being among the first to be jocked off.
While rumours of redevelopment have been around for years, NZTR has told the Sunday Star-Times it’s set a deadline of June 30 for a decision on transferring the land. It’s also been confirmed racing will not be held there past 2026.
The end of a local institution?
Christine and Max Campbell have been getting up at 3am every Sunday morning for 30 years, selling antiques out of one of the racecourse buildings.
But, in recent years, their premises been allowed to degrade, leaving Christine wondering if the club is slow-walking it towards demolition and redevelopment.
She says there was a period of time last year where she was arriving nearly every week to find it flooded and her antiques damaged because vandals were breaking into the decrepit building to steal copper pipes and wires.
“We couldn’t work out what the smell was recently … and my daughter said it smelled like urine, like a wild cat had got in,” says Christine Campbell.
“We worked out that homeless people were getting in, and because they ripped out the piping, they are obviously using the toilet and it's running through the walls.”
Despite having a deep attachment to the market, she’s decided enough is enough and she’s calling it quits. She will continue to open her doors for the first Saturday and Sunday of the month, selling everything at half price until it’s gone.
“I’ll definitely miss the people, and seeing a good cross-section of people who live in Auckland … We’ve got this convergence of cultures and people.”
Rob Kemp has managed the markets since they began, and he says they haven’t waned in popularity.
“In fact it’s the opposite. We have more foot traffic than ever, because we have more apartments nearby and people are looking for good prices and this is the cheapest place in Auckland to buy groceries.”
He says he hopes that a solution can be found to allow the markets continue for another 30 years “at least”.
“We want compromise, not like what they’ve done at Unitec, destroying the whole place.
“Developers may want to take the whole place over and cover it in low-cost housing but will that do anything good for the locals?”
Allegations of secret deals
Jaclyn Bonnici of I Love Avondale and urban designer Nina Patel presented to Auckland Council this week asking for intervention.
Bonnici tells the Star-Times her group was urgently spurred to action after a member allegedly saw a site plan drafted by Fletcher Living for a total redevelopment of the 33ha grounds.
“We see that there’s potentially a land grab - it’s been called theft by legislation,” she says.
The pair presented an alternative site plan to councillors that would see a small portion developed into housing, and sports and market grounds retained.
“We already have a deficit of green space,” says Bonnici.
“Most of all we need to shine some light on these backroom deals that we hear are happening.
“It’s very opaque at the moment, and the fact that the NZ Racing potentially went behind the jockey club’s backs to engage [Fletcher Living] to do a site plan really worries us.”
Adds Patel: “There’s multiple ways it could go. We could sit here and do nothing but we’ve decided to speak up.”
Entries on the jockey club’s website suggest it was taken by surprise by the venue review. It’s long had ambitions for a partial sale that would fund refurbishment of facilities.
But, when approached by the Star-Times, the club committee appeared to be boxed in by gag orders.
“It’s quite tricky for anybody to speak about it,” says Manny Boyack, the club’s general manager.
“I mean, I'm not at liberty to discuss it, unfortunately, … I’m subject to a bunch of confidentiality clauses.”
President Tracey Berkahn says “certainly it’s no secret that Avondale is one of the venues that NZTR are looking at”.
“[But], I’m not able to go on the record at the moment - we’ve got an agreement with NZTR to work through a process to look at what happens to the venue.”
She adds, “I don’t think the club has much of a choice.”
The club has previously said in public statements that plans to hive off Avondale were “not in the best interest of the racing industry and the broader community”.
So it surprised some, then, that an application was put to Auckland Council under plan change 78 to rezone the entire course for high-density housing back in 2023.
Asked why the club would do that, Berkhan says “we didn’t really”.
“As I say, I can’t say any more.”
Racing authority responds
When the Star-Times asked NZTR whether a redevelopment was on the cards, a spokesperson said that at present it was simply focused on transfer of ownership.
“Nothing has been agreed or discounted at this stage,” they said.
The jockey club had signed a memorandum of understanding with NZTR, agreeing to cease operations by 2026, and it had been supported by “a majority” of club members, the spokesperson added.
Fletcher Living meanwhile has confirmed that it has “an interest” in Avondale Racecourse if it becomes an option.
“The question of progression is one for NZTR, not for us,” a Fletcher spokesperson said.
Asked if the markets and sports grounds would be retained, they said it was “too premature to say”, but it was hoped a development would include “a wide range of community benefits”.
It all sounds a bit loose to Matthew and Lynn, who have been selling tools at the Avondale market for upwards of four decades.
“I give it six months and the developers will walk in with a ball and chain, if you ask me,” says Matthew.
He acknowledges the temptation to sell must be high, but says the grounds are an “irreplaceable asset”.
“People come every Sunday, and the public needs this. We are fighting corporate greed for something that has been here for years. Once it’s taken away from the public, they’ll never get it back.”
However, he sees it as inevitable.
“You’ve only got to look around, there’s people moving from overseas with lots of money who can see the potential, and these dilapidated buildings aren’t going to stand in the way of that.
“Sorry, that’s the truth. I’m just being honest.”
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