Far North District Council mum on Kaikohe civic hub project

A Kaikohe civic hub, Te Pū o Te Wheke, could be built on the former Kaikohe Hotel site on Broadway. Photo / Debbie Beadle

The Far North District Council is remaining silent on plans for a community hub in Kaikohe, which appear to have stalled.

Te Pū o Te Wheke is a joint project by the Far North District Council and Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngāpuhi and was to have been built on the former Kaikohe Hotel site, now owned by the rūnanga, and two adjoining properties.

The other properties, currently occupied by an automotive business and a second-hand clothing store, have been purchased by the council for an unknown sum.

The council had applied to the Provincial Growth Fund to help pay for Te Pū o Te Wheke but no funding announcement has been made, despite a flurry of grants for ''shovel-ready projects'' around the district by Regional Development Minister Shane Jones.

Te Pū o Te Wheke is a joint project by the Far North District Council and Te Runanga-a-iwi o Ngāpuhi for the former Kaikohe Hotel site. Photo / Debbie Beadle

The Advocate requested any reports relating to the project under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act but was refused on grounds of commercial sensitivity.

The Kaikohe project was inspired by the success of Te Ahu in Kaitaia, which brings together a range of council services such as a library and information centre with a museum, movie theatre, cafe, artworks and community hall under one roof.

Te Ahu was a council project but is built partly on land owned by Te Rarawa. It opened in 2012 at a cost of about $14 million.