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A great deal of concern was expressed by the Club when it was reported that the route of the proposed Southern Motorway was a line from Jerrold Street, crossing Lincoln Road at Twigger Street, through the residential block to the Lindores-Moule Street corner then through the Derby Lodge property, the Member Car Park and Horse Stall area, crossing Wrights Road adjacent to the front straight. This information was placed before the Committee in October 1962, and three years later Miss Nancy Northcroft, Town Planning Consultant, advised the Directors of Addington Raceway Ltd, that in her opinion there were two courses open in regard to the Motorway. One was that it be completely removed from the Course, and secondly if that was not feasible then the Motorway be elevated. She undertook to investigate whether an alternative route was possible together with costings. She said that if it became necessary for her to go to Court or an Appeal it would be difficult for her as a Town Planner to give unbiased evidence on oath in Addington’s favour, if in her view the proposed route was the best one. She was authorized to discuss with the Regional Planning Authority and if she thought it necessary the Roads Board, the routing of the Motorway through the Raceway with the object of saving the facilities as they existed. In December it was reported that following discussions with the Minister of Works in Wellington, it appeared that the Motorway could not be moved off the Company’s property, but the importance of it being elevated to give access to the parking areas was stressed.

Miss Northcroft submitted her report on the Southern Motorway in May 1966, and asked that she be authorized to write to the Regional Planning Authority, placing on record the Company’s objections to the line of the Motorway across its property, and if the line could not be changed then the Motorway should be elevated, and access to the Course provided under the Motorway. In June 1967, Miss Northcroft advised that to construct a viaduct over Addington Raceway, would cost an additional £400,000 and the Authority had recommended that the Motorway across the Company’s property should be elevated. She said that the section of the Motorway crossing Addington would probably be the first section to be constructed and should be completed by the mid 1970’s. Miss Northcroft was sure that the Regional Planning Authority was concerned with Addington’s particular problem and had recommended a full investigation. In October advice was received from the Acting Town Clerk of the City of Christchurch that the Southern Motorway could affect the property in Moule Street, known as Derby Lodge. In February 1969 it was pointed out that objections to the Motorway route should be lodged with the Christchurch City Council by the 11th July. In May 1970 Miss Northcroft reported that she had stressed the point with the Planning Authority that the car park should not be split and that access to and from the Course must be maintained. She advised that the Motorway was almost exclusively a matter for the Ministry of Works as the National Roads Board had formally adopted its line and as the Ministry was preparing costs it should be dealt with directly. Any Compensation due for land loss would go to the owner of the land, the North Canterbury Hospital Board, and all Addington Raceway could claim was compensation for loss of use.

Just over eight years elapsed from the receiving of the first report of the Motorway until test bores were taken to examine the feasibility of providing a viaduct over the Company’s property. In April 1971the District Commissioner of Works advised that careful consideration had been given to the suggestion that the embankment on the property be reduced by the provision of a viaduct, and gave the reasons why the Department was not in favour of the proposal. The cost of the viaduct would be greatly in excess of the value of the land cost and its appearance would not be as favourable as that of an embankment. The number of days on which the car parks approached saturation point was limited and as the Raceway zoning could be changed in the future, and the area used for other than Raceway car parking, a viaduct would be quite inappropriate. In June following the Club’s Solicitor’s approach to the Commissioner of Public Works to ascertain whether or not access could be provided through the Motorway to the car parks and the Course, the Commissioner suggested that the requirements should be marked on a plan by the Company. Addington Raceway Officials conducted negotiations directly with the Public Works Department and at a meeting with the Commissioner, the Chairman and Secretary of Addington Raceway Ltd and the Club’s Solicitor were given an assurance that there would be no difficulty in providing access through the Motorway by the provision of two vehicular and one pedestrian under-pass and that there would be no drainage problems created by the Motorway. In August 1972 plans were by the Ministry of Works showing the provision for access under the Motorway and the Directors agreed that an opening at ground level through the Motorway with two 20 foot roadways and two 13 foot pathways would be acceptable. In the following March Mr Suggate of the Ministry of Works, was asked for an indication as to when work would commence so that tree planting and re-aligning of fences could be put in hand. In October 1974 the Ministry advised that they would be building an access road to the test pile site, and that the top soil would be available to the Raceway. In June 1975 the Ministry provided plans showing their requirements and advised that the amount of land to be taken was approximately nine acres, two roods and thirty eight perches, and that they would be entering the area within 3 or 4 weeks of the 16th June. The Ministry met the Directors to discuss the question of access, car parking and gateways and other relevant matters on the 7th July 1975, and advised tat they were nearly ready to commence work on the provision of a haul road and stock-piling fill for the four bridge abutments. A new gateway to No.2 car park was provided before stock-piling commenced and the question of drainage investigated. They undertook to provide access for Members cars and pedestrians at all Meetings. The relaying of cables and the re-siting of lighting towers had to be completed before work on the Motorway commenced and quotations were received from Christchurch Electrical for the work in compliance with the requirements for the Motorway. The quotation was accepted in December 1975 subject to approval by the Ministry.

A further two years was to elapse before the National Roads Board’s proposal to proceed with the Motorway as a two lane design was received from the Ministry of Works, and would include a bridge over the Members car park access road with the provision for pedestrians. Work on the foundations for the Lincoln and Wrights Road over-bridges commenced at the end of 1977. And in June 1978 a sub-committee comprising the Executive Officers prepared a preliminary plan showing the changes required to the entrances to the Raceway for consideration by the Committees of the Three Clubs.

In October 1978 the Ministry of Works forwarded an application form for an advance payment of compensation totalling $4,561 for the re-alignment of fences in the Members car park. In January the following year the Ministry submitted a programme of construction showing the line of the Motorway through the Raceway property, and advising that the Members driveway would be operable by March and completed following the Inter-Dominion Championships.

In April 1979 the Ministry of Works advised that the proclamation for the acquisition of the area of land required for the Motorway would follow legal surveys of the area, and that it would be at least 12 months before these were completed.

In April 1980 the Ministry of Works advised that the Raceway land shown as designated for the Motorway was greater than that actually required, and steps were taken by them to rectify the error. The Company’s Solicitors were instructed to submit a pro-forma objection and an account for $2,618.50 from Gabites, Alington and Edmondson for their services in preparing a report as a basis for a claim for compensation.

In May a representative of Gabites, Alington & Edmondson perused a claim to be submitted by the Company to the Ministry of Works for loss of land, and suggested three amendments which were agreed to. The claim amounted to $39,000. In March 1981 an agreement for payment, without prejudice, was received from the Ministry of Works and on completion the Company received $25,000. At this point it was agreed that the Consultants liaise with the Company’s Solicitor over areas of contention. In March the following year advice was received from the Ministry that it had been agreed to compensate Addington Raceway by the payment of $28,613.11 back-dated to the commencement of the work with interest at 10% compoundable with all normal reasonable legal and professional expenses to be paid by them. The Chairman pointed out that, if accepted, it would not be possible to lodge further claims for compensation but the Directors agreed to accept the terms as stated.

In June the Solicitors for the North Canterbury Hospital Board advised they felt entitled to claim from the Ministry of Works compensation for the land severed by the construction of the Motorway but it was pointed out that the Company had the sole rights to claim compensation.

In March 1984 the Company Solicitor advised that he was desirous of amending the claim for compensation on the Southern Motorway for loss of interest earned as a result of the delay in settling the Company’s claim. By August 1985 only $16,000 had been received from the Ministry of Works of the Company’s claim for compensation amounting to $132,000 but in September the Ministry intimated their approval in finalizing the Company’s claim which was accepted by the Club’s Solicitor. The Directors signed a Memorandum of Agreement for compensation and the total amount was $145,717. In May the Company’s Solicitors advised that $90,275.46 had been paid on account of the Ministry and the balance of monies had been placed with the Public Trustee.



Credit: NZMTC: Historical Notes compiled by D C Parker