Local development reaches high speed

Could Newcastle soon be home to a drag strip?

An item tabled in Tuesday’s meeting of the Executive Committee might have paved the way for new motorsport locales, including a spinning pan and a go-kart arena.

That depends on plans by the Development Planning and Human Settlements Department (DPHS).

The item brought before Exco last Tuesday made mention of the current process of identifying land for these facilities, singled down to an erf on Van Der Bijl Street.

A local business owns the land privately.

Elaborating on the proposal for the benefit of Exco councillors, SED for DPHS, Nokhuthula Thusi said the department was in talks with the land owner.

“We also want to revamp a portion of the trim park for go-karting.”

In addition, the item requested Exco test the market by calling for expression of interest to develop the two sites, but this was later withdrawn, pending purchase of the properties.

A locality plan and map will be presented in Exco later this year, it was resolved.