Smiths farm consents call

Tauranga City Council has awarded the tender for preparing the Smiths Farm consents to Aurecon NZ Ltd consultants without calling it publicly.

Council retrospectively approved the staff decision last week because there was not enough time to call for tenders and have the work completed by the deadline of September 16, says infrastructure planning team leader Andrew Mead inn a report to the council.


Aurecon got the Smiths Farm job without having to tender for it.

The council made the decision to go ahead with preparing resource consent for the Smiths Farm special housing area on May 17.

A decision not to call public tenders for work over $200,000 can only be made by the council.

Staff obtained informal approval by council members obtained assurances from a majority that it would be okay – and engaged Aurecon for $206,750.

The contract covers the preparation of the subdivision, land use, earthworks and stormwater consents.

Preparation of consent application including pre-lodgement discussion with TCC consenting and engineering departments and early engagement on possible subdivision layouts with local developers are expected to take place over the next three months.

The applications will be lodged in August or early September with approval expected October/November.

They have to be lodged by September 16 in accordance with the timeframes for repeal in the Housing Accords and Special Housing Areas Act.

The council picked Aurecon because the firm is familiar with the site and was previously engaged by the council for planning and engineering advice over establishing the Smiths farm special housing area.

That engagement was through a competitive process.

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4 comments

Smiths farm

Posted on 27-06-2016 11:00 | By Denny G

Have we set a dangerous precedent here ? Council staff appear to have broken their own council rules.


Yes, we have

Posted on 27-06-2016 12:21 | By nerak

set a precedent, how many more? Read:Rules changing at Tauriko, 24.06.16. And there will be more, height restrictions on application currently in progress look like they will be ignored, dangerous precedent for building heights... Problem lies with council staff using wordy statements which even councillors struggle to follow, resulting in most throwing hands in air and voting the wrong way. Money talks, not common sense.


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Posted on 27-06-2016 13:22 | By whatsinaname

dont no why rules are set in place. They are never adhered to.


Don't go there. Something fishy?

Posted on 27-06-2016 16:50 | By Murray.Guy

I've never heard of a zoning being created to act as a buffer to the same zoning. Weird at best. When the balance of Smiths Farm is developed, whatever is put there, it WILL require a buffer to the rural residential buffer being created. This 'appears' to be more about a developer making serious profits out of a rezoning that has the ratepayer paying for all the preparation. Reminiscent of the Coronation Pier destruction and deal that cost us $500,000. At best an 'earth bund strip' with trees and vegetation is all that common-sense and reality requires, no consent, minimal cost, and if the funding exists, include a recreation element to serve present and future public needs.


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