An extraordinary five-hour meeting at Town Hall concluded with the Auckland Council endorsing a proposal to transform Western Springs into a concert venue.
Tataki Auckland Unlimited (TAU), the council’s economic development agency and stadiums custodian, began an expression of interest for the future use of Western Springs in 2024.
Speedway advocates missed the deadline to submit an expression of interest by seven months, but have since made attempts to have a proposal heard.
Those have fallen on deaf ears, however, with TAU declining it on external probity advice.
That process drew interest from several parties, including for a new football stadium for Auckland FC and a purpose-built music bowl.
A community consultation was carried out in 2025, which did not provide a definitive favourite for the use of the venue from almost 15,000 submissions.
TAU initially recommended the Auckland Council support the football stadium, though that was scuppered when the privately-funded venture was abandoned in part over delays in the council making a decision.
That left the council with a decision to make this week, based on a recommendation from TAU.
There were emotional scenes at Town Hall as speedway fans crammed into the room to hear councillors debate the proposal, hoping for a favourable outcome.
In its recommendation to the council, TAU said Western Springs should be transformed into a concert venue inspired by the Hollywood Bowl.
The multi-use facility would be used in summer for concerts and in winter for rugby and community sports.
The Ponsonby Rugby Club faced eviction from the venue, but will remain there on a five-year lease.
The Western Springs Bowl concept is being funded through a $2.5m investment by TAU.
The Western Springs Bowl will primarily serve concerts up to 30,000 people, while retaining a maximum capacity of 50,000. It will also serve as a 5,000-seat boutique sports stadium.
Of the 21 councillors, 15 voted in favour of the proposal. Just six were against it, namely Christine Fletcher, John Gillon, Mike Lee, Greg Sayers, Ken Turner and John Watson.
Save our Speedway campaigners booed throughout the meeting.
Western Springs Speedway had been the home of open-wheel racing in Auckland for 97 years until the lease lapsed. Open-wheel racing was consolidated to Waikaraka Park earlier this year.
Auckland Council provided funding to Waikaraka Park to fund upgrades to the venue, which TAU conceded during Tuesday’s meeting were ultimately insufficient.
John Gillon was among the councillors who voted against the proposal.
He said the community consultation had been flawed and argued that speedway supporters had split their choices across 3A (Keep things as they are) and 3B (Explore other options).
Option 3A received 16 percent of the vote, Option 3B received the most support with 33 percent of the vote, while Option 2 for the Western Springs Bowl received 30 percent of the vote.
“Consultation was undertaken without a clear option to include Speedway, despite it being a significant and well-supported activity at the stadium for the last 96 years,” said Cr Gillon.
“Due to not being provided their preferred option, supporters of speedway appear to have split their responses between Option 3A, which received 16 percent of responses, and Option 3b, which received 33 percent of responses.
“Options 3A and 3B totalled 49 percent of responses. Around 30 percent of all submissions made actual comments relating to keeping speedway, in addition to their selected option.”
Gillon asked that another community consultation take place, which was estimated to cost $62,000 to rate payers, would take another year, and cost $1.1 million in venue revenue.
The amendment was voted down 15-6 before the final vote to support the Western Springs Bowl was made.
There remains a legal bid by the Springs Speedway Association, which is set to go to the High Court in July.
“An injunction will now be filed, with the Judicial Review in July,” a short statement from Save our Speedway read.
“We’re not backing down.”
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