Tauranga City Council media releases indicate the Papamoa East Town Centre, in principle, is a done deal involving two of Papamoa East's major land groups, Blue Haven Management Limited (a developer) and Te Tumu Kaituna 14 Trust. The latter has $21.614 million in assets (2016) showing a net profit after tax of $90,000, yet has postponed TCC rates of $130,000.

The Te Tumu Landowners Group has 768ha or 75 per cent of the land available for subdivision.

This proposal is in the vicinity of TCC's ill-conceived 2007 foray into land banking, potentially costing TCC ratepayers and future ratepayers millions of dollars. What will the proposed infrastructure be? Why is it necessary to involve Maori land at all? A lease of Maori land will simply allow them to ‘clip the ticket' forever more.

TCC ratepayers would be justified in requiring full payment of the $130,000 postponed rates before any further negotiating.

Developers have recently had a very profitable time and ratepayers expect TCC to require developers to contribute very substantially to the cost of installing new infrastructure.

Council planners have already been seriously remiss in letting developers off providing parking in major TCC developments.

Current ratepayers deserve to have concise reliable information. Please explain how the estimated $160 million will be contributed.

J Goddard, Bethlehem.