Agenda of Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group

Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group

Meeting Date: Monday, 16 March, 2026

Location: Jervis Bay Room, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra

Time: 5:00 PM

Please note: Council’s Code of Meeting Practice permits the electronic recording and broadcast of the proceedings of meetings of the Council which are open to the public. Your attendance at this meeting is taken as consent to the possibility that your image and/or voice may be recorded and broadcast to the public.

Agenda

1. Meeting Conduct Statement

2 Acknowledgement of Country

3. Apologies

4. Confirmation of Minutes

· Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group - 15 December 2025................................. 1

5. Declaration of Interests

6. Reports

MS26.1........ Report Back - Various Matters....................................................................... 4

MS26.2........ Action Update................................................................................................. 9

7. General Business

MS26.3........ General Business - Items for Discussion - 16 March 2026

The following items were submitted by the Chairperson for discussion:

1. Discuss (withdrawn) Motorcycling NSW DA for the development of a Motorsports Complex at the Yerriyong site. In particular: site complexities, environmental issues, racetrack design, supporting infrastructure, costs, indigenous/cultural approvals, grants, Council statements.

2. Discuss the past proposal for Council to purchase the Yerriyong site for $600K.

3. Prepare a Conceptual MSC design and estimated costs.

4. Discuss the preparation of a draft Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA)
for Yerriyong site, in line with the Bathurst Regional Council’s PEA for its proposed second circuit.

5. Review the availability of Environmental/Biodiversity Offsets for the Yerriyong site.

Minutes of the Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group

Meeting Date: Monday, 15 December 2025

Location: Jervis Bay Room, City Administrative Centre, Bridge Road, Nowra

Time: 5:00pm

The following members were present:

Clr Luciano Casmiri – Chairperson

Clr Brett Steele

Mr Paul Dean

Mr Roger Walker

Mr Greg Boyle

Mr Stan Madge - Nowra & District Motorcycle Club

Mr Max Moore - Nowra & District Motorcycle Club (Remotely)

Ms Katelin McInerney – MP for Kiama - Joined Remotely at 5:04pm

Mr Andrew Constance - Chief Executive Officer

Mr Gordon Clark - Acting Director City Development

Others present:

Mr Ryan Schulter - Senior Economic Development Officer

Ms Kristy Mayhew – Tourism Marketing Specialist

Apologies / Leave of Absence

Apologies were received from Mayor Patricia White, Robert Bridge and Norman Mogg.

Confirmation of the Minutes

RESOLVED (By Consent)

That the Minutes of the Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group held on Tuesday 30 September 2025 be confirmed, with the following amendment to wording under MM25.1 relating to the Nowra District Motorcycling Club Constitution as advised by Mr Stand Madge - Nowra & District Motorcycle Club:

The Nowra & District Motorcycle Club constitution is published under the control of the Nowra & District Motorcycle Club Board of Directors, and the only relation Motorcycling NSW has to the constitution is a sunset clause for 2028, which stipules affiliation with Motorcycling NSW until that time.

CARRIED

Declaration of Interests

Nil

Reports

MS25.3 Report Back - Potential Development Pathways for a Motor Sports Complex

HPERM Ref: D25/540575

Staff addressed the Group and gave an overview of the information provided in this report.

Mr Paul Dean noted that the original Development Application (DA) submitted by Motorcycling NSW on the Yerriyong site had consent from the Local Aboriginal Land Council at the time, and requested a report back in relation to Motorcycling NSW receiving approval from the Local Aboriginal Land Council for their DA at the time.

Mr Dean further noted that Bathurst, when seeking to develop a second racing track, submitted a Preliminary Environmental Assessment in order to obtain the Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs). Mr Dean queried whether the process for obtaining a SEARs report has changed.

Staff noted for the Group that the SEARs report is not an approval, rather, a process that any application for a State Significant Project would need to follow in order to identify matters or issues that need to be addressed in an application to the State Government.

Mr Dean requested a report back on the process that Bathurst followed to develop a second track in accordance with Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs), and the viability of Council submitting a Preliminary Environmental Assessment, similar to that of Bathurst’s, to the State Government.

Staff further advised that in order to obtain SEARs from the State Government and submit a Preliminary Environmental Assessment, there is a need to have identified an action site and have a detailed concept design for the project.

To action the first step towards this project possibly becoming an eligible State Significant Project, Mr Stan Madge - Nowra & District Motorcycle Club advised that he would contact Crown Land NSW re the current site and the necessary owners consent.

Recommendation

That Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group receive this report for their information.

REcommendation (By Consent)

That Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group receive this report for their information, and receive further reports on the following:

1. The approach of Motorcycling NSW to gaining a copy of the approval from the Local Aboriginal Land Council for their Development Application (DA).

2. The process Bathurst followed to obtain a Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) report for the purpose of developing a second race track, and the viability of Council submitting a similar Preliminary Environmental Assessment to the State Government.

3. Whether Council has any available biodiversity offsets that could assist the project.

CARRIED

MS25.4 Action Update

HPERM Ref: D25/558437

Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)

That the Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group accept and receive the Action Table Report (Attachment 1) for their information.

RESOLVED (By Consent)

That the Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group accept and receive the Action Table Report (Attachment 1) for their information.

CARRIED

There being no further business, the meeting concluded, the time being 5:38pm.

Clr Luciano Casmiri

CHAIRPERSON

Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group – Monday 16 March 2026

Page 1

MS26.1 Report Back - Various Matters

HPERM Ref: D26/45018

Department: Economic Development

Approver: Andrew Constance, Chief Executive Officer

Purpose:

Provide a report back to the Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group (Working Group) regarding the requested information from the Working Group meeting on 15 December 2025.

Recommendation (Item to be determined under delegated authority)

That Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group receive this report for their information.

Community Strategic Plan:

3 Resilient local economies and enabling infrastructure

3.1 Economic opportunity and diversity

Delivery Program / Operational Plan:

3.1.2 Work with business, government and other partners to build a diverse local economy which provides employment opportunities for all

3.1.3 Advocate and promote the Shoalhaven to attract increased investment and new businesses

Background

At the December 2025 meeting of the Working Group, the below recommendation was passed and subsequently adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 27 January 2026 (MIN26.16):

That Shoalhaven Motor Sports Working Group receive this report for their information, and receive further reports on the following:

1. The approach of Motorcycling NSW to gaining a copy of the approval from the Local Aboriginal Land Council for their Development Application (DA).

3. Whether Council has any available biodiversity offsets that could assist the project.

This report provides information in relation to the above resolution.

Information in Regard to MIN26.16

1. Local Aboriginal Land Council – historical owners consent.

Council staff have contacted Motorcycling NSW regarding their previous DA for a Motor Sports Complex, which was lodged in March 2014. At the time of writing this report, no response had been received.

Council staff conducted their own search of the related DA files, and only landowner consent from Crown Lands was located. It is likely the Nowra Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) were not required to provide landowner consent at that point for the proposal, as the NSW Aboriginal Land Council submitted the Aboriginal Land Claims in late 2016, which was after the lodgement of the DA.

Staff did find that the Nowra LALC were however notified of the 2014 Motor Sports Complex proposal as an adjoining landowner. Any resultant submission that may have been made by the LALC was not however located.

In February 2026, Council staff met with a representative of the LALC to discuss any knowledge of the 2014 Motor Sports Complex proposal and DA. Due to the timeframe and tenure of current LALC staff, there was no historical knowledge of the proposed project. During the meeting, the Aboriginal Land Claims and unresolved Native Title over Lot 7309 DP 1148878 Yerriyong were also briefly discussed. At the time of writing this report, an update on these matters was in progress, and staff will verbally update the Working Group at the March 2026 meeting.

Generally, the Nowra LALC representative expressed an openness to discussions regarding any proposal that may relate directly or indirectly to their land holdings.

2. Planning Pathway for the Bathurst Second Circuit

The Bathurst Second Circuit proposal is a project being led by Bathurst Regional Council (BRC) for a separate motor racing facility near Mount Panorama. The proposal progressed via a State Significant Development (SSD) planning pathway, under the land use of a ‘recreation facility (major)’ with value greater than $30m.

A brief summary of the key steps taken to progress the proposal towards the DA ready stage are below:

· BRC conducted community consultation with high level visions and concepts. This included discussions with landowners regarding consent, impacts and potential acquisitions.

· BRC commenced a tender process for the planning phase of the project, and as a result, engaged an international circuit designer. Local sub-contractors were used to deliver technical studies and assessments.

· A Preliminary Environmental Assessment (PEA) was prepared for the proposal that covers relevant items/matters, including:

§ Overview of the project

§ Site details

§ Impacted lots and ownership

§ Concept plans and proposed infrastructure

§ Project timeframes

§ Consultation and engagement (stakeholders, community and cultural)

§ Planning pathways and permissibility

§ Preliminary assessment of impacts and required studies for an Environmental Impact Statement

The PEA aspect of the tender was approximately $150,000.

· Secretary’s Environmental Assessment Requirements (SEARs) were applied for and issued. The PEA was the only supporting document required for SEARs application.

· An Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was prepared

· Detailed and civil designs were prepared

· All documentation to satisfy the SEARs was completed

· The project was at the DA ready stage (i.e. ready to submit for assessment). It was however placed on hold and the grant funding received for the project was returned.

· The total cost to get the project to this point is approximately $4.7m

· The total estimated cost to deliver the proposal if it proceeds is $250m, with approximately $18m in associated biodiversity offsets.

3. Available Council Biodiversity Offsets for the Proposed Yerriyong Site.

Council has existing biodiversity Stewardship Sites, however the vegetation formations and the species in these do not align with the proposed Yerriyong site. Therefore, these cannot be used as an offset for any proposed development at the Yerriyong site.

It may be possible for a Stewardship Site to be developed on site, to offset some/all of the impacts of a proposed Motor Sports Complex. It is however likely that a greater area of land would have to be dedicated to a Stewardship Site to fully offset the impacts of the development site. This would need to be determined after designs of the proposal are completed, as well as the relevant environmental surveys and assessments.

The surveys and assessments required to determine the extent of threatened species at the Yerriyong site would most likely be an expensive exercise, given the number and type of threatened species already known at the site. In addition to this, if biodiversity credits have to be retired, a payment would be required to retire these credits regardless of whether the Stewardship Site is established on the same lot, or whether the credits are sourced externally. The amount of any payment is unknown at present and would be determined following detailed work.

Difference Between Development Pathways

In December 2025 in addition to the Working Group meeting, a Working Group member requested information on the differences between the discussed planning pathways for a Motor Sports Complex. The below table summarises some of the key differences between the various pathways:

Aspect	Local Development	Regionally Significant Development (RSD)	State Significant Development (SSD)
Definition	Development requiring consent under a Local Environmental Plan (LEP) or State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP), excluding RSD or SSD	Development with higher investment, scale, or complexity, defined in SEPP. Includes major infrastructure, eco-tourism, extractive industries	Development designated by SEPP schedules or Ministerial order as significant to the state due to size, cost, impact, or strategic location
Capital Investment Value	Varies greatly. Typically smaller-scale	> $30M > $5M if council or state related	Often includes large-scale infrastructure, hospitals, major industrial projects; thresholds vary (e.g. > $30M or in sensitive areas)
Assessment Authority	Local councils (or local planning panels in some Local Government Areas) Note: Shoalhaven - Currently no Local Planning Panel	Sydney District or Regional Planning Panels Note: Shoalhaven -Regional Planning Panel in certain circumstances	Minister for Planning, the Independent Planning Commission (IPC), or a delegate of either.
Assessment Process	DA lodged and reviewed by Council. Includes Statement of Environmental Effects or EIS for higher-impact projects	DA lodged, then reviewed by panel. Includes public exhibition.	Requires an EIS as per the SEARs. Public exhibition for ≥28 days. NSW Department of Planning, Housing & Infrastructure (DPHI) coordinates and is determined by Minister or IPC
Public Involvement	Subject to standard public notification and submissions via Council process	Involves public exhibition and submissions. The panel holds public meetings	Mandatory public exhibition (typically ≥28 days). High level of community engagement
Cost / Fees	Council DA fees based on Estimated Development Cost	Same DA fee structure as local development. No separate fee schedule, but Estimated Development Cost determines significance thresholds	Application and modification fees paid upfront as per SEPP. Estimated Development Cost used to calculate fees
Pathway Suitability for a Motor Sports Complex Development	Dependent on the site, development cost, plans, land uses, and environmental factors	Dependent on the site, development cost, plans, land uses, and environmental factors	Dependent on the site, development cost, plans, land uses, and environmental factors

Risk Implications

This report is for information only, therefore there are no known or identified risk implications.

Internal Consultations

Internal collaboration between the Strategic Planning, Biodiversity, and Economic Development teams has occurred in the preparation of this report.

External Consultations

Council staff consulted with staff from Bathurst Regional Council and Nowra Local Aboriginal Land Council representatives in the preparation of this report.

Community Consultations

Community consultation was not required to prepare this report.

Policy and Statutory Implications

This report is for information only, therefore there are no direct policy or statutory implications.

The report does contain information on the potential development application pathways that exist under current planning legislation.

Financial Implications

This report is for information only, therefore there are no direct financial implications.

The report does however provide an indication of the costs associated with the similar proposal in Bathurst.