Plans by Zespri to lease a section of Mount Maunganui parkland are attracting the ire of neighbours concerned about the impact on the neighbourhood and environment.

Zespri has requested permission from Tauranga City Council to lease a section of vacant land in Miro Street for two years to place temporary office space for staff.

Resident Paul Knights at the Miro Street parkland in question. Photo: Bruce Barnard.

The proposal covers 648m2 of the 3594m2 council-owned land, which is zone commercial, and there will be continued public access and use of the remaining green space.

Neighbour Paul Knights is fronting a group of concerned residents who say the proposal will take 'what little green space we have”.

As the area's Neighbourhood Watch coordinator, he has been approached by numerous residents against the proposal.

'A resident living opposite the proposed development saw men measuring out the area and approached them to see what was going on. He was told to mind his own business.

'I was approached by another concerned senior resident who lives directly opposite the proposed development.

'She wants to see the open area left as it is as she regularly sees locals enjoying the area and is concerned for a variety of other reasons that she outlined to me and will include in her submission.”

He says a young couple, who live on one corner opposite the trees, also came to him worried about the effect on the value of their property.

Paul himself is worried the buildings will be erected alongside the Miro trees that are a central feature of Miro Street, and provide a safe haven and food source for local tui.

'My daughter and I went over last night and in all the trees birds were nesting and singing their hearts out. The same was true when I went over this morning.”

He would like to see Zespri consider building elsewhere.

'Apartments are to be built further down Miro Street and Zespri could look at some of these as a long term investment.”

The park is also the site of The Little Big Markets, which had the last market of the season on Sunday.

Markets organiser Rachelle Duffy says it's too early to make a full comment.

'There are lots of different layers to it. We're working with Zespri on making it beneficial for both of us.

'We're going to be continuing to use the site. Council are aware of what we do for the community so the Council are really supportive of us and want us to continue, and so do Zespri.”

TCC states Zespri is working with The Little Big Markets to ensure continuity of their operation.

Zespri International Ltd is currently located adjacent to the parkland on Maunganui Road.

A Zespri spokesperson says their Mount Maunganui offices are over capacity and they are in need temporary office accommodation while a longer-term solution is sought.

'We've adjusted the proposal to take residents' concerns into account so the bottlebrush trees – which have been observed to house the majority of the birds in our street – will not be impacted.

'We will also invest in landscaping to attract birds and minimise the impact with more trees and plants on the site.”

Zespri remains committed to Tauranga as its New Zealand base. The Bay of Plenty grows about 80 per cent of New Zealand's export kiwifruit and the industry accounts for about one-quarter of the region's GDP.

'With the volume of export kiwifruit set to increase dramatically in the next few years, it's important we have sufficient resourcing to manage the increased volumes of fruit,” says the spokesperson.

Council would like to hear people's views on the proposal.

Email your feedback to haveyoursay@tauranga.govt.nz by 5pm, September 16 or visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/have-your-say for more information.