Noble Park residents are up in arms about Melbourne Racing Club’s VCAT application: back, Silvio Panozzo, Ezra Isma, Glenise Panozzo, John de Blauw, Rosetta Isma, Michele Migliaccio, Solomon Isma and Jo Driscoll, and front, Amelia and Georgio Migliaccio. 38202
By Lia Bichel
STOP that noise!
That’s the message from Noble Park residents as Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) prepares to take an application to VCAT to hold high-speed drive-and-ride days at Sandown Park.
More than two months after the council backed residents and refused to grant a permit to stage such events at Sandown, Melbourne Racing Club has announced they are taking the matter to VCAT.
Noble Park resident Georgio Migliaccio says that, if approved, the plan will negatively affect many residents.
“The area has changed in the past 30 years- there are more people residing in the area and it will have a dramatic impact on the community,” he said.
A spokesman for the MRC said the application is not for seven-day racing but sought the ability to hold high-speed drive-and-ride days on any day of the week.
“It is impossible to operate the motor circuit seven days a week as it is often unavailable as we prepare the venue to hold mid-week horse race meetings,” he said.
Mr Migliaccio said that even if the MRC were granted a permit to hold racing events only a few days a week at Sandown Park, he feared it would eventually lead to racing seven days a week.
He said about 1000 surrounding residents would be deprived of quiet time if the matter were approved.
“There are thousands of people in the immediate areas surrounding the course, but the noise travels far,” Mr Migliaccio said.
“When we are outside with family and there is racing, our voices get drowned out.”
The MRC spokesman said the vehicles used for the high-speed drive-and-ride days were not racing cars and were a lot quieter than full racing cars that reached a decibel reading of 95cBA.
‘The cars are designed with special equipment to ensure drivers and passengers are very safe when driven around the track,” he said. “The decibel readings from these cars are well below 75dBA.”
In an effort to oppose the application at the VCAT hearing, a date for which is yet to be set, Mr Migliaccio said he hoped to have a “virtual petition”.
“I want to present this petition at the hearing and tell them that ‘X’ number of people have also registered their feelings against the increase in racing events.”
An email address has been set up for residents to add their names in opposition.
“There are already about 15 people who have told me they want to stand up against the application,” Mr Migliaccio said.
“The council is working on behalf of the community, but VCAT has a history of overturning council decisions. So, we aren’t overly confident that our efforts will work, but we are hopeful.”
People can add their name to the petition by sending an email to stopthatnoise@hotmail.com
