Taupō District Council keen for Cultural Precinct, but residents decry change

Wednesday, 12 December 2018

The Cultural Precinct design would replace Taupō Bowls Club with a public green and terraced seating looking down to the lake.

Public backlash could make plans to modernise a town centre park difficult, a residents group says.

The Tongariro Domain is one of three possible locations for a new Taupō District Council office building.

The entrance to the Tongariro Domain opens up in the proposed Cultural Precinct.

However, members of a private advocacy organisation, the Taupō Residents Group [TRG], say building on the Domain shouldn't be an option.

Richard Hoadley, TRG committee member, said the Domain's Reserve Management Plan [TDMP] restricted what the land could be used for domain.

A birds-eye view of Story Place and the Tongariro Domain, currently.

**READ MORE:

* Bowling Club removal raises tensions

The Cultural Precinct would straighten up Story Place and create a grassed area looking towards the lake.

* Residents group seeking to sabotage process

* 'Pedestrian plaza' vision presented for cultural precinct**

'The [TDMP] clearly restricts the uses on the Domain to its primary purpose; that is mostly recreational. Public administration buildings are not included,' he said.

'A judicial review may be requested in the event a decision made by council is not within the scope or the delegated power conferred on council by way of the Reserve Management Plan,' he said.

Philip King, Cultural Precinct project manager, said recreational space would not be reduced if the Cultural Precinct proposal went ahead.

'There are already buildings at the locations we're proposing to build. Basically, we'd just be removing those existing buildings and replacing them. It's the same building footprint,' he said.

King says the council may need to reclassify the Domain's 'recreational reserve' titles before it can build on them.

'The reserve management plan [TDMP] from 2005 is due for a review, so that's a bit of work coming council's way.

'The process to reclassify reserve land is provided for in section 24 of the Reserves Act and involves public notification of the proposed change calling for objections, followed by council hearing any objections, and making a decision,' he said

Hoadley, however, said it was unlikely residents' views had changed since the TDMP was written.

'The current TDMP is significant in that it represented views of the public when it was revised in 2005,' he said.

'Recent surveys clearly show no support for a new office building on any land that is part of the North or South areas of the Domain.'

'We are sure there will be objections from the public to any notified changes to class/use on the Domain.

'Councillors should reconsider their wasted effort in pursuing a plan that includes a new office building as part of [a Tongariro Domain redevelopment].'

King said council buildings on the Domain would be nothing new.

'Historically, municipal buildings have been on the Domain: it's not something that hasn't been done before.'

King said the architects were working on office building designs for the alternative locations - Tuwharetoa St and 72 Lake Tce - for the next two months

He rejected any suggestion that the architects would present a sub-par proposal for Tuwharetoa St.

'This is Warren and Mahoney architects. They'll have their name on it and they don't do shoddy work.

'It will be a compelling design, I'm sure, so it can be fairly compared to the other two locations.'

This option would involve building offices on the free all-day carpark on Tuwharetoa St, which is council-owned land.

'We've asked them to consider whether it would be best for the building to open on to Ruapehu St, or Tuwharetoa St,' King said.

'We've given a blank canvas and we've asked for their best shot at it.'

Options for council building locations will be presented at a council meeting on February 5, 2019.