Concerns Napier housing and sport facility plan not 'sufficiently sound'

The plan proposes a southeastern residential zone be rezoned to a Sports Park Zone, and much of the current Sports Park Zone in the northeast rezoned to a Main Residential Zone. PHOTO/FILE.

Concerns over the strain more housing could have on already struggling infrastructure has been cited in a Hawke's Bay Regional Council submission against a proposed Napier City Council plan.

The City Council recently closed submissions on its proposed Plan Change 11, needed for proposals under the 2017 Park Island Master Plan to go ahead.

This seeks to change the Northern Sports hub's size and location, and would change the zoning of two areas - one zoned for housing, one for sports.

The Regional Council understood the plan - providing for residential housing demand and enhanced sporting facilities - but it has told the City Council it could only partly support it.

A council submission, written by group manager strategic development Tom Skerman, noted "we are not currently convinced that the rezoning and associated infrastructure planning in place is sufficiently sound".

While rezoning was not "the time or stage" for full infrastructure design to accommodate the development's needs, the regional council "cautiously" approached the proposal given recent events, and because of its Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) responsibilities.

He wrote parts of the proposal had not been detailed enough, or a "fuller assessment" was needed, and asked whether due regard was paid to the Regional Policy Statement (RPS).

Of particular concern was wastewater and stormwater, and existing infrastructure's ability to cope, given past issues.

It appeared stormwater runoff from the development could be accommodated within the existing drainage network, but lack of detail in the proposal meant the council "was "not in a position to provide fuller support", he wrote.

More homes in the area also raised questions about how the infrastructures could cope with additional wastewater.

"Given there are already capacity issues within the existing network, we would caution against allowing further development ... which would exacerbate existing deficiencies with the city council's stormwater and wastewater networks," Mr Skerman wrote.

Citing the 2017 discharge of stormwater into the Ahuriri Estuary because of such issues, he wrote they hoped NCC would assess the existing infrastructure's capability to ensure further incidents did not happen again.

It was also questioned how the plan change could help deliver a draft Ahuriri Master plan 2017 objective around the estuary's health.

"Given the significance of the estuary both at catchment and region level, it is imperative that its improved health is at the fore of decision making."

Yesterday, a Napier City Council spokeswoman said they were waiting for an independent planning consultant's review of all submissions made.

It was too early to comment on one submission until this report was complete.

The Park Island Master Plan 2017 was adopted in May, and will be considered as part of the councils Long Term Plan 2018-2028 process.

Most plan changes are in the northern sports hub - including reducing the number of fields, increasing the number of artificial turfs, additional carparking, and removing 12 tennis courts.

It includes provisions for a planned Hawke's Bay Rugby Union (HBRU) high-performance facility and training field. This was hoped to cater for a range of sports and the general community, as well as being the stomping ground for the Magpies.

The union would partner with other sporting codes to allow them to use the facility.

The Expansion has a budget of $4,246,000 in the next two financial years of the Long Term Plan 2015-25, and $7.5 million is earmarked for the financial years from 2022-25.