Have your say on proposed Tauranga marine facility

Sulphur Point at Tauranga Habour could be the setting for a new marine facility in Tauranga. Photo/file

There's just one week left for people to have their say on a proposed marine facility for Tauranga.

Tauranga City Council would like to hear feedback on its proposal to long-term lease an area of open space land at northern Sulphur Point. The long-term lease would enable the University of Waikato to establish a purpose-built Marine Research and Educational Facility.

Consultation is open until 5pm on Friday, March 9.

The marine facility could mean for Tauranga:

•The proposed research centre would be distinctive to New Zealand and create the capacity to attract and host national and international collaborations and research programmes.
•It would expand the capability to protect Tauranga's and New Zealand's marine environment by providing opportunities and solutions to key issues for the Bay of Plenty coastal and marine environments.
•By providing tertiary education opportunities unique to New Zealand, the centre would help keep more young people in the area by enabling them to study courses unique to New Zealand.
•The facility would put Tauranga on the map as a home of world-class research specialised in marine research, biotech and engineering, and tertiary education.

The council's proposal to long-term lease means:

•The area of open space land located at the southern end of Northern Sulphur Point, is approximately 5,600m² - see map for details.
•The land is zoned Active Open Space under the City Plan. It is mainly undeveloped green space, used for marine activities, occasionally events and overflow car parking. The public can currently access and use this area.
•Find the map online.

Tauranga's residents are invited to go to www.tauranga.govt.nz/marinefacility to find out more about the proposal and make a submission.

Paper copies of the submission form are available in local libraries (Tauranga CBD, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa and Greerton) and at the customer service centre at 91 Willow Street.