By Alesha Capone
A proposal to demolish the “condemned” grandstand at Werribee Racecourse and build a new precinct for jockeys and other racing participants has been lodged with Wyndham council.
The $600,000 plan has been prepared by Werribee Racing Club (WRC) in conjunction with Racing Victoria Limited and the state government.
The application states the club hopes to start construction of the new precinct by the end of the month and finish in November, before the 2021 Werribee Cup on December 5.
The new precinct – if approved by council – will include a jockeys and stewards’ room, plus facilities for race-day participants, owners and trainers at or near the site of the existing grandstand and other buildings on Ballan Road.
The application states the present building has been “partly condemned” and is “internally in very poor condition”.
“The current jockeys and stewards rooms are very aged and, in their current state, at the end of their life span,” the planning documents state.
The existing grandstand is also in a “very poor and somewhat dangerous condition”.
“The grandstand has been condemned for approximately 15 years now with considerable safety concerns,” the application states.
“It is agreed that the current site has exhausted its life span and poses many OH & S [occupational health and safety] risks if these works do not proceed.”
A report into the existing condition of the WRC grandstand, which was built circa 1960, was submitted, along with the planning proposal.
The report, completed by Adams Consulting Engineers after an inspection in 2018, said the north and south ends of the grandstand seating area’s concrete slab and beam extensions “are showing deterioration and major cracking at the edges”.
The Werribee Racecourse itself is recognised in Wyndham council’s planning scheme as a heritage site.
Werribee Racing Club general manager Adam Wilkin said: “For all the individual participants it will be a great outcome”.
“It’s a really good thing for the racing club and for the future of our facility, it will be recognised as one of the modern facilities in country racing.”
Details: wyndham.vic.gov.au
