URBAN designer Jan Gehl has slammed plans to build a street circuit on the waterfront to accommodate the proposed supercar race.

Gehl has made a number of visits to the capital at the request of the council as it looks to use the expertise he has brought to the design of cities such as London, Copenhagen, Adelaide and Perth.

His report, City to Waterfront, published in October 2004 recommends Jervois Quay, earmarked as part of the street race circuit, be turned into a northern gateway – a tree-lined boulevard.

"When I visited Wellington, I pointed out the very unfortunate overdimensioning of the harbourfront area and pointed out that places suitable for people were much more intimate than any places for car races," says Gehl.

"Having car races in city centres is as bad an idea as one could possibly envisage. It is directly contrary to the wishes of creating a people-friendly city.

"Dimensioning a city for a motor event, is just as inadvisable as dimensioning your home to accommodate 200 guests attending one event in your lifetime. Find another place for the party – and for the motor race."

Wellington Central MP Marian Hobbs is organising a public meeting on the race at the Paramount on Apr 19.

Choosing to hold it at the Paramount Theatre is about more than finding a suitable venue, says Hobbs.

"Picture theatres expect to lose from the V8 street race but they have to contribute the same as businesses that will benefit," says Hobbs.

The inequity for businesses is matched by the inequity for residents, says Hobbs.

"Wellington is a very different city from the one that held the street races a few years ago," she says. "Now there are a lot more people living in the city.

"If they are well-off they can go across to the Wairarapa and clear off for the weekend. Other people can’t afford that and will have to put up with the noise."

Ex-mayor and National Party candidate for Wellington Central Mark Blumsky and author and race critic Lloyd Jones will be among those putting the case for and against. Hobbs will also set out her concerns.

"Street races do nothing for me but that is a personal thing," she says. "I thought if there were positive economic effects it would be okay. Now my cynical view is that two years ago the city did quite a lot of work to stop boy racers on Kent Terrace. Now I’m paying more rates for legal boy racers."

Hobbs says people have questioned the timing of her meeting, coming on the last day of submissions. She prefers to see the meeting as coming two weeks before the council has to make a decision on the race.

"Councillors can come and listen to the arguments from both sides. I remember the public meeting for Variation 17. The councillors were all there and they did listen, including Mark Blumsky."

V8 street race debate, Paramount Theatre, 7pm, Apr 19.