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Ordinary
Council meeting Agenda
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3
April 2023
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11 Business
11.1 Greerton
Maarawaewae Options Study - Hearings Report
File
Number: A14457236
Author: Robyn
Scrimshaw, Urban Planner: Urban Communities
Carl Lucca, Team
Leader: Urban Communities
Authoriser: Christine
Jones, General Manager: Strategy, Growth & Governance
Purpose of the Report
1. To provide an overview
of the Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study topics and themes raised through
submissions and feedback from the community.
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Recommendations
That the Council:
(a) Receives the report
“Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study - Hearings Report and the written
submissions attached to this report, received during the Greerton Maarawaewae
Options Study phase 3 consultation.
(b) Receives the verbal
submissions from submitters wishing to speak who provided a submission on the
Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study during phase 3 consultation.
(c) Receives verbal submissions
on the Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study from community members wishing to
speak who provided feedback during the phase 1 and 2 engagement with the community.
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Executive Summary
2. The phase 3 consultation
on 3 options for the future of the Tauranga Racecourse Reserve site occurred
during 27 July and 29 August 2022. The consultation invited mana whenua,
existing users, the wider community, and those who had provided feedback
through phase 1 and 2 to make a submission on their preferred option.
3. This report provides a
brief summary of the topics and key themes raised through the submission
process, in advance of hearing submissions from those submitters that indicated
through the phase 3 consultation they wished to be heard.
4. Council has also
extended the invitation to be heard to community members who through the phase
1 and 2 community engagement joined the database to stay informed.
Background
5. The purpose of the
Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study is to identify opportunities that will
support wellbeing and liveability as the city continues to grow, and to provide
certainty as to the future use of the site. Within this context, the agreed
scope for the study initially included:
(a) Preparation of broad options
for the subject site, to form the basis for engagement, assessment, and
recommendations on the future use of the site. Options shall range from status
quo through to mixed open space / residential land use.
(b) Development and consideration
of any options will include engagement with mana whenua through the process,
including consideration of their aspirations for the land.
(c) Engagement with the
community, existing users, government partners and key stakeholders to:
(i) provide an
understanding of the subject site’s potential opportunities in the
context of city growth and community wellbeing
(ii) understand the aspirations
for the site from existing and potential future users, to be incorporated into
option development and recommendations for future use.
(d) Following on from previous
engagement, the importance of the open space to the community was also
acknowledged as a key area to further explore with the community.
(e) As part of the options study
assessment, feasibility, risks, relocation requirements and delivery timeframes
shall inform any recommendations.
6. Through subsequent
decision making Council removed housing from consideration for the Tauranga
Racecourse Reserve site.
7. Phase 1 and 2 of
engagement occurred October 2021 through to March 2022. The views of the
community were valuable to inform phase 3 and the refinement of the options.
8. The focus of the
hearings is on the submissions received through the phase 3 consultation on the
three shortlisted options approved for consultation by Council on 13 June 2022.
9. The 3 options consulted
on during phase 3 are:
(a) Option A Health and Recreation (Council’s preferred option): Health and
Recreation – a mixture of public hospital, parkland, sports fields, golf,
and connections to Kopurererua Valley. (Option A included a fallback provision
that says: if the public hospital does not proceed on this site, then Option B:
Centra Park will proceed).
(b) Option B Central Park: a large green parkland, sports fields, community spaces,
golf and connections to Kopurererua Valley
(c) Option C Enhanced Status Quo: racecourse,
golf, equestrian, sports fields and connections to Kopurererua Valley
10. A total 897 submissions were received
through phase 3 with the following numbers of submissions in support of each
option:
(a) Option A: Health and
Recreation – 201
(b) Option B: Central Park
– 128
(c) Option C: Enhanced Status Quo
– 548
(d) No option selected – 5
(e) Other – 15 (these are
submissions that don’t fall into any of the above categories – for
example, support more than one option or submitted an alternative option).
11. In addition to selecting an option,
submitters were encouraged to add ‘why’ they chose a particular
option. This has enabled Council to get a deeper understanding of the community
views of benefits and disbenefits of each option.
12. The submissions raised points
around the racecourse relocation, equestrian and golf existing facilities, the
future of the health precinct and power supply locations for the city that
needed further work to be completed by various parties. The extent of this
additional work led to a delay in the hearings timing from November 2022 to
April 2023.
13. There
have been regular communications sent out to the Greerton Maarawaewae email
database of the community members who have indicated they wish to stay informed
of the projects progress. The reasons for the delay and details of the further
work required were communicated through this manner in October 2022 (see
attachment 2 for a copy of the communication). This was accompanied by a media
release, website update and an update to the FAQ’s for the community to
access.
14. Further work has now been progressed
for all areas of enquiry to a comfortable level to enable the process to
continue and submitters to present their submissions, with deliberations
scheduled for 1 May 2023. An update of this further work has been
distributed and is also available on the TCC website. (Refer attachment
2).
15. For more information on the
background of the Greerton Maarawaewae Options Study and previous decision
making see Council Agendas dated 11 April 2022[1]
and 13 June 2022[2]
submission topics and themes
16. The emerging themes and topics of
the submissions are as follows:
Across all
submissions:
17. All members of the community value
the green space and trees.
18. The community would like to see
connections to Kopurererua Valley improved and enabled through the green space.
19. Transportation: upgrades to support
the activities on the site would be required including connections to local
network, parking facilities and multimodal connections.
Option A specific:
20. A new health services precinct
and/or a hospital would greatly benefit the growing city and are a necessity to
the health and wellbeing of the community.
21. The current health facilities are
at capacity and aren’t servicing the community’s needs.
22. Having a hospital integrated into
the existing green space with recreational facilities would have benefits to
people’s wellbeing.
23. The location would be central to
the growing areas of the city and accessible to the outer areas of the city
also.
Option B specific:
24. Protect the green space for
recreational activities including retention of the mature trees.
25. Make into a full botanical
garden (comparisons to other locations Hamilton Gardens, Christchurch Hagley
Park, Wellington Botanical Gardens, Auckland Cornwall Park, New Plymouth) also
comparisons to international examples (Hyde Park in London, Central Park in New
York).
26. Retention of the
green space for the community to hold events utilises the site and allows these
to continue.
Option
C specific:
27. All ages use the
current racecourse and/or equestrian facilities don’t want to lose that
ability to engage all ages in these activities.
28. Community use of the space for race
day and equestrian events and facilities is valued and are usually family
focused, affordable events.
29. Expansion of the current use to fit
all members of the community is desired.
30. Important to recognise the
historical use of these activities on this site.
31. Funding of the relocation of
existing users and facilities is a concern.
32. Equestrian user groups do not
support the reduction of the current area for other recreational uses.
33. Other points raised by submitters
covered a wide range of topics, such as power supply, motor home camping, and
the range of recreational activity offering i.e.: aquatic centre or passive
recreational opportunities for the aging population.
Strategic / Statutory Context
34. In
response to the outcomes identified through the Urban Form and Transport
Initiative (UFTI), Te Papa Spatial Plan (TPSP) and decisions on the 2021-31
Long Term Plan (LTP), Tauranga City Council (TCC) made a decision to undertake
the Greerton Maarawaewae Study “to engage with mana whenua,
existing users, government partners, and key stakeholders to undertake an
options study to explore the most appropriate and efficient use of
‘Recreation Reserve – Tauranga Racecourse’ land in the short,
medium and long term”.
35. As part
of this process, it was also agreed that TCC shall lead engagement with the
community to understand their aspirations for the subject site. The study
commenced in October 2021 and advised the purpose of the Greerton Maarawaewae
study is to identify opportunities that will support wellbeing and liveability
as the city continues to grow.
Consultation / Engagement
36. There have been 3 rounds of
engagement and consultation with the community.
(a) Phase 1 engagement –
the community ideas – Late October to Mid December 2021.
(b) Phase 2 engagement –
the seven options – End of December 2021 to 6th March 2022
(c) Phase 3 consultation –
the three options – 27 July - 29 August 2022
37. The submitters through all phases
of engagement that indicated they wished to stay informed of the project have
been invited to speak if they wish to and had previously provided written
feedback on the project.
38. There has also been specific
engagement undertaken with the existing users of the facilities (Racing
Tauranga, Tauranga Golf Course and Tauranga Equestrian Sports Association), key
stakeholders and mana whenua.
Mana whenua engagement
39. Council
staff have met with representatives of mana whenua (specifically Ngāi
Tamarāwaho) on six occasions since the inception of the study.
40. Ngāi
Tamarāwaho has advised that they support the ongoing recreation reserve
status of the land and would seek to have land ownership discussions should an
alternative or revised use be proposed. A formal statement of claim has been
lodged with the Waitangi Tribunal and there has been correspondence provided to
the Crown.
41. As stated
in the Waitangi Tribunal claim, the Ngāi Tamarāwaho kōrero is
that the return of the reserve lands and indeed all lands within its rohe used
for public or community purposes was not pursued as part of its historic Treaty
claim. Ngāi Tamarāwaho have also indicated through correspondence
that they are happy for the land to continue to be used for community
recreational purposes and would support use of the land for a wider range of
recreational uses such as walking and biking pathways through the racecourse and
golf course lands.
42. Council
will continue to engage directly with mana whenua on these matters and
acknowledge that as owners of the land, ongoing kōrero with the Crown will
also be necessary if any changes to the existing use are proposed.
Financial Considerations
43. There are no financial
considerations arising from the recommendations in this report
Legal Implications / Risks
44. There are no legal implications
arising from the recommendations in this report.
Significance
45. The Local Government Act 2002
requires an assessment of the significance of matters, issues, proposals, and
decisions in this report against Council’s Significance and Engagement
Policy. Council acknowledges that in some instances a matter, issue,
proposal, or decision may have a high degree of importance to individuals,
groups, or agencies affected by the report.
46. In making this assessment,
consideration has been given to the likely impact, and likely consequences for:
(a) the current
and future social, economic, environmental, or cultural well-being of the
district or region
(b) any persons who are likely to be
particularly affected by, or interested in, the matter.
(c) the capacity of the local authority to
perform its role, and the financial and other costs of doing so.
47. In accordance with the
considerations above, criteria and thresholds in the policy, it is considered
that the issue to decide the future of the Tauranga Racecourse land through the
Greerton Maarawaewae options study is of high significance, however the matter
to receive the submissions during this hearing process is of low significance.
Next Steps
48. Council to deliberate and consider
recommendations on the future of the Tauranga Racecourse site on 1 May 2023,
including consideration of:
(a) Technical assessment of the
options, as undertaken to date by Council
(b) Matters raised through the
verbal and written submissions from mana whenua, submitters, and the community
(c) Further work undertaken on
the matters raised to date through the submissions, including health needs of
the city, racecourse and equestrian relocation, golf, and the active
recreational use of the site.
Attachments
1. Submissions
for Greerton Maarawaewae Phase 3 submissions - 001-897 Final PDF - A14136856
(Separate Attachments 1) 
2. Greerton maarawaewae
study updates October 2022 and March 2023 - A14534098 ⇩
