Plans afoot to build TV platform on Tauranga Domain grandstand

The Bay of Plenty Steamers playing Northland at the Tauranga Domain last season. Photo / File

Plans are being developed for a permanent TV filming platform on top of the grandstand in Tauranga Domain.

Tauranga City Council has just over $106,000 in a draft budget for the next two years to build a platform on the grandstand roof. The budget is being debated this week.

The funding was queried in a meeting this morning.

Parks and recreation manager Mark Smith said the platform would be used by SKY TV camera crews to film Bay of Plenty Steamers rugby matches at the domain.

Smith said scaffolding was used to create a temporary platform when the games first started being played in the domain a few years ago.

A permanent solution was needed as the games seemed likely to continue.

He said the grandstand, built in 1962, was "old and tired" and initial investigations indicated it would not meet earthquake ratings for a roof platform.

Geotechnical assessments were needed to determine the rating, likely followed by remedial works before the platform could be built.

He said the games brought huge numbers of people into the city centre and greatly benefitted hospitality businesses.

SKY was not helping to fund the work, he said.

In the Mitre 10 Cup, the Bay of Plenty Steamers played at the Tauranga Domain twice last season and three times in the 2017 season.

This year's draw includes two Tauranga fixtures.