A core chunk of Tauranga CBD real estate worth $16 million is being considered as part of a co-ownership deal with mana whenua that could see the city council lease the land from a joint council-controlled organisation for $1.
Tauranga City Council will meet today to decide on a potential partnership with Otamataha Trust - a trust that oversees property on behalf of Ngāti Tapu and Ngai Tamarawaho.
If successful, the deal could see the land between Wharf St, Willow St, Harington St and Durham St - known as Site A of the city's civic precinct development Te Manawataki o Te Papa - transferred as part of a perpetual peppercorn lease.
However, this would only happen following public consultation.
![A bird's eye view of the land that will be the heart of Tauranga's future civic precinct, showing the council, library and BayCourt theatre buildings in 2001. Photo / Jimmy Joe](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/YNPMSLTCBNWKYNLYI6W2GJTEHU.jpg?auth=762c8f5974e7a938b0b6d1d30c4589f510dde4a20d13b5585b6ef2fc1396b695&width=16&height=10&quality=70&smart=true)