Half of the 1.6ha council-owned block in Maunganui Rd is to be offered for sale or lease in a deal to carve millions off the council debt.
The council today decided to limit the sale to the area of land already leased to Zespri, bowing to public pressure not to force the Mount Maunganui Library and neighbouring Plunket preschool to shift.
It also responded to overwhelming public feedback by opting to keep the 3500sq m of parkland that was currently at the southern end of the block, next to the former Mount Borough Council offices leased to Zespri.
The council will be going to the market seeking offers to buy or lease 8000 square metres of the block. It will see the parkland relocated to alongside the preschool once the borough offices were demolished.
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