Noise dominated yesterday's second day of a hearing into new resource consents for the Highlands Motorsport Park and the focus was on how to monitor noise and where to measure it.
The Cromwell Motorsport Park Trust Ltd, which owns the park, has applied to the Central Otago District Council for land use consents replacing the existing ones ''to overcome ambiguity and uncertainty''.
The matter has been heard over two days in Cromwell before independent commissioner Denis Nugent, who has reserved his decision.
The majority of submissions supported the motorsport park. Of 82 submissions, 62 were supportive, 17 were opposed and three were neutral.
Mr Nugent said yesterday the applicant did not appear to be addressing the issues from opponents.
It was focusing on noise from racing, not addressing the noise from other park activities.
Also, the number of submissions from Bannockburn residents highlighting noise issues needed to be considered by Highlands, he said.
''There were too many submissions from that area for us to say they are particularly noise-sensitive people.''
Two acoustic consultants giving evidence, Stuart Camp for Highlands and Jon Styles, employed by the council, joined forces during the hearing to come up with a combined statement on some technical issues.
They suggested a limit on helicopter movements.
On race meeting days, there should be a maximum of 30 movements (15 flights) in one day and on other days, there should be a maximum of six movements (three flights) a day.
A noise logger should form part of the noise management plan for the site, they said.
Mr Camp said Bannockburn was essentially downwind under the prevailing wind, which could explain why residents there heard the park noise.
Opponent Jack Searle, of Bannockburn, said it was the character of the noise rather than the volume that was the problem.
Robert Galvin, who lives about a kilometre away from the park, urged the commissioner not to ignore the earlier court findings on the matter.
There was ''no need to dismantle'' the existing conditions, he said. Other opponents highlighted noise issues and most said they found the noise from day to day activities at the park as well as racing to be intrusive.
The existing consent allows up to 16 ''race days'' to take place a year. On those days, no noise limits apply other than the New Zealand Motorsport Standard. On all other days, noise limits have to comply with the rules of the district plan.
Under the proposed consents, Highlands has classified its activities into a two-tier system that relates to the amount of noise generated.
Tier one activities happen on a usual operating day and tier 2 are race event days.
It has suggested an upper limit of 16 race events a year and no limit on the maximum number of Tier 1 activities.
In its application, the trust highlighted the economic and social benefits of the $31million facility which opened more than two years ago.
It said 150,000 people had visited the park in 20 months, six motorsport events had been filmed and broadcast in more than 80 countries and 20 full-time staff were employed at the park, with the number increasing to 45 in summer.
Council planning consultant David Whitney has recommended consents be granted, subject to 77 conditions.
