Gawler resident Greg Cowie wants to build $1 million go-kart track

A former go-kart driver — and father of a state junior champion — wants to build a new $1 million track for motorsport fans in Adelaide’s north.

A go-kart enthusiast wants to build a $1 million track directly opposite a housing subdivision on the edge of Gawler.

Munno Para businessman Greg Cowie is seeking planning approval to build two courses for electric and petrol powered go-karts on a large concreted area at a disused property on Tiver Rd, Evanston South.

Mr Cowie, of Gawler, wants to use existing buildings at the site for offices, indoor laser skirmish and storage for go-karts.

He is proposing to build a 5m-high wall on the edge of the property to minimise noise disruption to neighbours.

A small housing estate is across the other side of Tiver Rd, while Trinity College is 1km further north up Main North Rd. It also is near a landscaping supply business and a car wrecker.

The site was formerly the base of the Gawler Poultry and Vegetable Markets, a prefabricated home maker and a tile manufacturer.

Mr Cowie said he was developing the property with his partner, Sonya Edwards, a co-owner of go-kart and laser skirmish facility Kartmania at Gepps Cross.

The pair have a close association with karting, with Mr Cowie’s son, Christian, a dual state junior champion.

“This site was ideal, as it had three acres of concrete laid, it was a dream scenario for karting” he said.

Mr Cowie said he wanted the new karting complex to become a “family fun-centre” for local families.

Junior South Australian go-kart champion Christian Cowie. Picture: Supplied

“It is something that everybody in the community can enjoy,” Mr Cowie said.

One of the tracks would be reserved for children on electric go-karts while the larger track would be for teens and adults using low noise petrol go-karts.

“We hope to offer driver education to children, giving them the basics before they hit the roads” he said.

An independent report presented to Gawler Council said the go-karts would create noise but this would be reduced by a proposed 5m-high boundary fence made of earth and metal fencing.

“Of the uses proposed within the amusement park, the go-kart activities, namely the petrol go-karts that will operate on the adult track and to a lesser extent the electric go-karts operation on the children’s track, are considered to have the greatest potential for noise impacts given the activity is proposed to be undertaken on the outdoor tracks,” it said.

“Recognising this, the applicants have committed to specifically using low noise petrol go-karts and electric go-karts and a maximum of 10 go-karts will operate on each track at any one time”

The report said testing had shown the level of noise from the go-karts would be within EPA-approved limits.

Mr Cowie said the noise produced would be “quieter than Main North Rd”, which borders the western edge of the property.

If approved, he said future stages could include a paintball field and an indoor rock climbing wall.

The development proposal — which is noncomplying as the land is zoned for rural use — is open for public consultation until June 19.