Rotorua Lakeview Golf Club's $2m clubhouse approved

Artist impression of what the new Lakeview Golf Club clubhouse could look like. Photo / Architectural Design and Drafting Ltd

Construction work on a new $2 million clubhouse at Rotorua's Lakeview Golf Club is about to tee off - two years after a fire destroyed its old clubrooms.

The Rotorua Lakes Council issued a building consent for new clubrooms at the Lakeview Golf Club on State Highway 5 in Hamurana.

Its old clubhouse was destroyed by fire in February 2020, taking 50 years of history with it.

President Alan Deverson said the consent was valued at $1m, but the project was expected to cost as high as $2m total.

"It is quite a relief," he said. "We are very pleased. The council pushed it through quite quickly."

Deverson said the new clubhouse will be built on a different site that will overlook the lake and golf course. It will include a small conference room and modern facilities for the community to use.

Artist impression of what the new Lakeview Golf Club clubhouse could look like. Photo / Architectural Design and Drafting Ltd

"We are trying to make it community orientated."

The site was blessed in October but Deverson said they had not yet started building.

Rising construction costs and Covid-19 had caused some delays so the club was seeking financial assistance to help complete the build, he said.

"It has been a slow process," he said.

Lakeview Golf Club clubrooms were destroyed by fire. Photo / Stephen Parker

"Hopefully, we will be able to start building by the end of August and have it up and running by the end of the year."

Deverson said the club had been using temporary clubrooms since the fire and memberships had increased from about 170 to 250 people.

"We are expecting an influx of people when the new clubhouse is built."

Club administrator Sue Falconer said it was exciting to have the project approved.

"It is going to mean we can get bigger and better."

Falconer said they wanted the clubhouse to be a community hub and were actively seeking community groups looking for space to share.

"We can't survive on just golf alone ... the big thing is we are not a golf club building a clubhouse, we are a community sporting facility building a community facility."

The $1m consent for the new clubrooms was part of nine commercial building consents valued at $2,639,000 issued last month.

Rotorua Mayor Steve Chadwick said it was great to see the new clubrooms were progressing.

"I was impressed with the plans for the new clubhouse when I attended the site blessing last October and was especially impressed with the vision to create a whanau-based community hub.

"As I said then, that really speaks to council's own objectives around creating thriving communities, ensuring people are connected and have facilities that enable that to happen."

Lakeview Golf Club president Alan Deverson after the fire that destroyed the clubhouse. Photo / Stephen Parker

Building consents - May 2022

Total value of commercial consents: $2,639,000
Total value of residential consents: $14,765,600
Total number of commercial consents: 9
Total number of residential consents: 90

Commercial consents issued:

704 State Highway 5
New clubrooms
$1,000,000

37 Brent Rd
Alterations to Block K, re-clad, new deck, accessible ramp
$750,000

42 White St
Change of use, from residential dwelling to industrial building
$300,000

265 Fenton St
Install switchboard, remove spas, various internal alterations - Block C
$200,000

Install switchboard, fire alarm and accessible ramp - admin block
$30,000

196 Malfroy Rd
New modular classrooms relocated to site
$150,000

1542 Amohau St
Alterations to mezzanine floor
$120,000

54 Tarena St
Internal alterations for LSC office and extend deck
$69,000

37 Te Ngae Rd
Replace front door
$20,000

Source: Rotorua Lakes Council