Murrumbidgee Turf Club secures $6.9 million horse stable complex
A new state-of-the-art stable complex at Murrumbidgee Turf Club will help attract more trainers to the Riverina and develop more champion country racehorses.
The Wagga News
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After four years of careful planning the Murrumbidgee Turf Club will soon be home to a 125-horse capacity stable complex.
The $6.9 million development, which will be built on the Beckwith St side of the racecourse, has been approved by Wagga Council.
MTC chief executive Steven Keene said the club was excited to finally get the project started.
“Our club is the best racing facility in country NSW but our problem is we don’t have enough boxes for trainers to utilise the facility,” Mr Keene said.
“But this complex will give us the capacity to bring more trainers out here, employee more people and in turn boost the local economy.
The club is currently submitting financial requests to the state and federal governments to help fund the project and expects construction to begin in the next six months.
Mr Keene said the facility would have everything trainers need to house and train a thoroughbred horse.
“From stablehands to track workers the facility will employee around 40 staff,” Mr Keene said.
“So that means their wages will be spent in the community and the complex will also bring more people to the area on our race days.
The plans however didn't come without push back from a number of local residents like Trisha Harrison who fronted the council meeting and spoke about her concerns of the complex creating smells, dust and the potential creation of airborne diseases.
But Mr Keene said the the club was committed to reducing the impact on nearby residents.
“The club and council did receive some feedback about the plans, but we will be sure to meet the guidelines set out by council,” Mr Keene said.
“We are confident the impact on residents will be minimal so local residents and the complex can co exist.
Council manager for development and assessment and certification, Paul O’Brien, said the development was approved with conditions.
“The MTC will need to go away and produce additional documentation for a construction certificate so they can then start construction on site,” Mr O’Brien said.
“There were a number of issues raised by members of the public when the application was on public exhibition and those issues were dealt with through the report that council considered..,” he said.
All councillors except Dan Hayes voted to approve the complex.