Land sale piques candidate interest

Tauranga City Council's debt reduction methods of selling a section of commercial Mount Maunganui land is drawing the ire of Mount/Papamoa ward candidates, with one claiming the potential loss of the library will galvanise the public's defiant voice.

Public consultation on the 384-410 Maunganui Road Strategic Land Review, currently occupied by the Mount Library, Mount Plunket Preschool and Zespri, opened yesterday.


The Mount/Papamoa ward candidates have mixed views regarding the council's debt reduction strategy.

Elected members want to further reduce its $380.1 million debt, and selling part or all of the 1.5 hectare site would support this. According to council the capital land value is $11.8m, while the land value sits at $6.1m.

But candidate Clare Wilson is already onto to council's planning department, having been approached by a members of the community against the proposal.

'Every Mount resident I have had feedback from has a strong opinion on the future of this particular piece of land. Overwhelmingly the message is ‘don't touch our Library!'

'I think this will be what galvanises the residents to have their say in the consultation process, and hopefully with opportunities at The Little Big Markets this weekend and the open days at the Library, locals will find it easy to make their feelings known to council.”

Council will have a stall at The Little Big Markets this Saturday for people to share their views with elected members.

Prior to being home to the Little Big Markets, the Zespri offices and the public library, and before the 1989 local bodies amalgamation, it was the Mount Maunganui Borough Council chambers.

It is land paid for by Mount Maunganui ratepayers, and the Mount Maunganui Borough Council was in the black when TCC absorbed its assets.

'It is consistent with Tauranga City Council,” says candidate and former councillor Murray Guy. 'They also wanted to sell May Street Reserve. My argument is the same then as it is today.

'They could have used development contributions to have reduced debt and in effect purchase that commercial land and turn it into reserve land.

'We discussed that when we were looking at the options for the Phoenix car park. We've got all these development contributions at the Mount and don't know where to spend it.”

The option was to ‘sell' the commercially-zoned freehold land to TCC's parks and reserves department. The council obtained a legal opinion supporting the option.

'It was a win-win,” adds Murray. 'We would have retained the land as green space and as a reserve for the community, and it would also have reduced our debt.

'But they have, in fact, chosen to rip out the Phoenix carpark and use some of those development contributions in much the same way.

'I'm totally opposed. They have got rocks in their head.”

Leanne Brown says given the number of stakeholders in the sale of the land, their community engagement and consultation is essential.

With Zespri, the preschool, Little Big Markets and the library all needing to be relocated and ideally nearby, it will be a 'complex” process, she adds.

'I encourage those affected to have their say and look at the options on the table,” says Leanne. 'I have some questions for council and will be attending the open day on Saturday.”

Candidate Janet Peters says she is yet to have any community feedback on the issue and until she looked into the matter further couldn't make any further comment.

Matua Parkinson could not be reached for comment by SunLive.

Open days with elected members and council staff will be held at Mount Library on Thursday February 12 and Thursday February 26, from 11am to 1pm.

To view the consultation booklet and make a submission, go to: www.tauranga.govt.nz. Hard copy submission forms and consultation booklets are available from Tauranga City Council's Willow Street office and the Mount Library.

Submissions close on March 2 at 4pm.

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6 comments

Silly to sell valuable land

Posted on 04-02-2015 12:25 | By BullShtAlert

Don't sell the land on which Zespri and the library are located. By all means lease them out to get a proper return for ratepayers. But to sell this big chunk of land would be short-sighted. You'd end up renting back the land on which the library is located and paying rent increases as the land value rose. Silly in my view.


oh Well

Posted on 04-02-2015 17:28 | By Capt_Kaveman

the one i was gonna vote for has lost my vote its no wonder so many dont vote maybe i should have stood myself


Land disposal

Posted on 05-02-2015 11:16 | By Planesailor

So the council elect who have a debt reduction mandate vote in favour of a 12 million dollar water front upgrade including 2 million for the Wharewaka project. But the land occupied by the Mount Public Library and Mount Plunket preschool community assets is considered sacrificial? I challenge the candidates to vigorously oppose this strategic land review and champion the Mount Public Library and Mount Plunket Preschool's future. I'm all for debt reduction but not at the expense of essential public services which form the fabric of our community. I wonder how Zespri figures as a good corporate citizen for the local Mount Maunganui community?


@ Capt_Kaveman

Posted on 05-02-2015 15:45 | By Paul Melhuish

Lucky for us, you didn't.


Paul Melhuish

Posted on 05-02-2015 18:11 | By Capt_Kaveman

You need to grow up, if i did stand it would be the best thing to happen to the city, + is that all you have to say? so you think Tauranga is in great shape? what a joke


@Paul Melhuish....

Posted on 05-02-2015 19:12 | By Jimmy Ehu

possibly, but then again look at your "cronies", what makes you think you are better than Ugg the Kaveman!.


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