Sandown Raceway at risk after council progresses rezoning consultation

Melbourne's iconic Sandown Raceway is again at risk of being demolished after the City of Greater Dandenong Council progressed its redevelopment plans to a community consultation stage.

The Melbourne Racing Club – current owners of the circuit – first announced its Sandown Racecourse Urban Renewal Project in 2019, stating its intentions to rezone and redevelop the combined motor racing and horse racing facility into a new suburb.

According to Auto Action, the proposed suburb would utilise the 112 hectare area owned by the MRC for roughly 7500 new houses, with four precincts to be incorporated within the suburb.

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Now in community consultation, it's not known how much longer the venue can survive, although the MRC says it will need to undertake its own consultation with members and Racing Victoria to assess what is in its best interests.

"No decision on Sandown’s future will be made until after an extensive consultation process has been undertaken. Racing Victoria and the Melbourne Racing Club will consult with industry participants, MRC members, the local community and other relevant stakeholders," said the MRC.

"Any future decision that may be undertaken by MRC and RV in relation to Sandown will be done in the best interests of the broader racing industry, MRC members and the local community.

"Whilst the Sandown Planning Scheme Amendment application canvasses’ full redevelopment of the entire site as part of the rezoning, ceasing horseracing requires agreement from RV and MRC Members and needs to be in the best interests of Victorian Thoroughbred Racing.

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In 2019, the Sandown grandstand was heritage listed but the rest of the facility was not, meaning at least one part of the venue will have to be preserved if the rest is knocked down.

Despite being owned by the Melbourne Racing Club and used primarily as a horse racing facility in the form of the Sandown Racecourse, the venue is steeped in motorsport history.

From the first running of the Sandown 500 in 1964, the Melbourne circuit has hosted the second-largest endurance race on the Australian motor racing calendar 49 times, with the last long-form event taking place in 2019, before notching up the record for most Supercars/Australian Touring Car Championship races of any circuit last year.

Other notable events at Sandown include two World Sportscar Championship races in 1984 and 1988, as well as six Australian Grands Prix in the pre-World Championship era in 1964, 1968, 1972, 1973, 1976 and 1978.

If the council and MRC go ahead with the decision, Sandow will join tracks such as Amaroo Park and Oran Park in the annals of history for the want of more housing.