The future of the 85ha of land that hosts the Tauranga Golf Club and Tauranga Racecourse, pictured in 2008, will not have housing. Photo / NZME
The future of the 85ha of land that hosts the Tauranga Golf Club and Tauranga Racecourse, pictured in 2008, will not have housing. Photo / NZME
An idea to put housing on an 85-hectare Tauranga reserve has been ditched after community objections, in spite of a "critical" shortage of homes in the city.
But the door is open for a Tauranga Hospital building to potentially be rebuilt on part of the Crown-owned land in Greerton.
TaurangaCity Council commissioners met yesterday and agreed to remove any prospect of plans to build housing on the Cameron Rd site, which is currently leased by Tauranga Racecourse, Tauranga Equestrian Sports Association and Tauranga Golf Club.
This was the latest step in the Greerton Maarawaewae Study, which the council and Kāinga Ora launched in October to identify the best future use of the reserve for the growing city.
At the meeting, council staff presented a "preferred option" of establishing a recreational green space with a health precinct on the land.
A health precinct - potentially used for a new hospital building - could take up about 12 of the 85 hectares, he said.
Lucca said the Bay of Plenty District Health Board had 12-and-a-half years to either upgrade its existing site or rebuild due to seismic issues.
He said moving the hospital building could allow its existing site to be redeveloped for housing.
"The hospital is certainly a critical piece of infrastructure for our city."
Commissioner Stephen Selwood said the correlation between a health precinct and a recreation area in Greerton made sense. Further community consultation on the three shortlisted options was now expected.
He said he was "really keen" to hear what the community said about the health precinct.
"Either way, it's going to be green space for the city," Selwood said.
Council commission chairwoman Anne Tolley. Photo / George Novak
"Even though I'm a strong campaigner for housing, we can do that elsewhere. We can do that along this corridor, there will be other options."
Commission chairwoman Anne Tolley said the only certainty now was that there would be no plans for housing on the reserve land.
"It doesn't necessarily resolve our housing shortage but it does at least take away that impending uncertainty off the shoulders of some of those users."
In a September letter to Environment Minister David Parker, commissioners said Tauranga was heading for a shortfall of 1119 homes by 2025 and could hit 5000 within 30 years if other council plans were delayed.
The commissioners said the council could not meet its housing expectations, called the situation "critical", and asked for the Government help to deliver new homes.
Since then, the commissioners have discussed several areas for future housing development including Parau Farms, which would likely have involvement from Kāinga Ora. The council has also received community opposition to such plans.
Racing Tauranga chairman Carl McComb told the Bay of Plenty Times he was pleased housing plans for the racecourse reserve were ruled out.
"We've been the guardians of that reserve for 150 years. Its primary purpose was for the racing track at the time," he said.
"It's an important, special block of land and we see that its green space reserves are kept in perpetuity. We'd like to be there ourselves in perpetuity but even [if we're not] it ... should remain a reserve."
It was not clear where, if relocated, the racecourse could move to or how much this could cost.
McComb said he was eager to be part of a working group if the health precinct and reserve option was eventually chosen.
Tauranga Hospital could be relocated to Greerton if it gets enough community backing. Photo / George Novak
The Bay of Plenty District Health Board said the risk to people had been assessed as low, but the long-term plan was to replace this building.
Yesterday, DHB chief executive Pete Chandler said it had been working with the incoming Health NZ infrastructure unit on "campus planning" over the last year.
"Our business case for a new clinical services building contains a number of essential components including strategising proposed future models of care, options appraisals, and financials; and we are currently working through the Clinical Services Plan component.
"The board is ensuring that the important work done to date in this area is robustly transferred into the care of Health NZ on July 1 to ensure that momentum continues."
Minister of Health Andrew Little told the Bay of Plenty Times the Government wanted to ensure the way it invested in hospital services for the region kept up with population and the population need.
He said the immediate emphasis was on primary care and GPs.
"But in the longer run, we've got to make sure there are adequate hospital services for the whole population."
Darren Toy, regional director for Kāinga Ora, said the agency was considering its involvement in the Greerton Maarawaewae Study going forward.
"The community, mana whenua and key stakeholders have been clear in their views that they don't see housing on this land, and their support is needed to ensure the right community outcomes are achieved in this part of Tauranga. "
He said it would continue to work with the council on future housing opportunities.
"The pressing need for homes is stronger than ever, and we will continue to push forward with a number of other housing opportunities underway or being explored."
Ngāi Tamarawaho representative Buddy Mikaere was not available yesterday but previously said a move to put housing on the land "would definitely trigger a Treaty claim".
The hapu did not include the reserve in its Treaty of Waitangi claim because the land is being used for public recreation.
Any change to its status, which would be needed if housing was built, would need to go through a significant plan change process and prompt legal action.
Consultation on the Greerton Maarawaewae Study shortlist is expected to run from July 18 to August 18.
