New $80m motorsport complex at Tailem Bend wins development approval
SOUTH Australia is set to claim a second round of the V8 Supercars championship from 2017 after the planned $80 million motorsport complex at Tailem Bend won development approval. SEE THE VIDEO
SOUTH Australia is set to claim a second round of the V8 Supercars championship from 2017 after the planned $80 million motorsport complex at Tailem Bend won development approval.
The ambitious dream of Peregrine Corporation director Sam Shahin yesterday crossed its biggest hurdle, with a green light from the South Australian Development Assessment Commission for work to begin on the “world- class motorsport facility” on the corner of the Dukes and Mallee highways.
Yesterday’s approval covered all features of the bold master plan, including a V8 Supercars circuit, drag strip, off-road track, airstrip, hotel, restaurant, caravan park and On The Run service centre.
It follows this week’s $7.5 million Federal Government pledge for the project, mooted as the nation’s best purpose-built motorsport complex.
The promise matched earlier State Government funding.
Work is planned to start as soon as next month, and is scheduled to be finished before the middle of 2017. The facility is planned to be ready to stage its first V8 Supercars event in the second half of that year.
“Rigorous planning and design work has occurred over the last 12 months to create what will be a world-class facility,” Dr Shahin said, describing the approval as an “important milestone”.
Dr Shahin this week revealed he held a memorandum of understanding with V8 Supercars that Tailem Bend would stage a round of the championship when the motorsport park was finished.
Planning and development has come with consultation from V8 Supercars to guarantee the circuit and complex meet stipulations for safety, pit facilities and spectators.
Final approval from V8 Supercars on the track design is expected this month.
V8 Supercars spokesman Cole Hitchcock said while it was too early to confirm a second SA race, the organisation backed Tailem Bend joining the touring cars calendar. “We’ve always said that South Australia, being a motorsport heartland, and the numbers for Clipsal 500, that it can absolutely sustain two events a year,” he said.
No time frame for a Tailem Bend round for 2017 and beyond has yet been discussed, though it is likely to be late in the year to allow separation from the Clipsal 500, which is locked in as the season-opening event until 2021.
Recreation and Sport Minister Leon Bignell said it was excellent news for South Australian motorsport fans.
“South Australia has been sadly lacking an international-standard motorsport complex,” he said.