Tauranga City Council will not offer property owners the option to self‑fund asphalt resurfacing on roads scheduled to move to chipseal next season, following a decision by its City Delivery Committee.

At its meeting on April 28, the committee agreed the 2026/27 resurfacing programme would be delivered as a standard service, after a trial showed minimal appetite from residents to cover the extra cost of retaining asphalt.

The decision followed a self‑funding trial during the 2025/26 season, in which only eight of 435 affected property owners indicated they were willing to contribute towards keeping asphalt rather than switching to chipseal.

Deputy Mayor and City Delivery Committee chair Jen Scoular said the issue had generated significant feedback, with councillors and staff meeting residents to understand their concerns.

“But it comes down to cost, and as a council we are looking at value for money, which frankly doesn’t include the use of far more expensive asphalt over chipseal,” Scoular said.

“The option to self‑fund was offered, but very few were willing to pay the extra cost, which in these difficult times is probably not unexpected.”

Of the 35 property owners who responded to the offer, there was insufficient interest on any single street to justify proceeding with asphalt resurfacing instead of chipseal.

The 2026/27 resurfacing programme covers about 23km of road across 195 sites, forming part of council’s routine maintenance work.

Each year, around 3-5% of the roading network is resurfaced to protect it from water damage, reduce potholes and prevent more costly repairs later.

Chipseal will continue to be the most commonly used treatment, with asphalt applied where appropriate.

Council said this approach meets national funding requirements and helps stretch maintenance budgets further, with about 51% of the programme typically co‑funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.

Council head of transport Mike Seabourne said resurfacing was critical to keeping the city’s roads safe and reliable.

“Resurfacing might not always be flashy, but it’s one of the most important things we do,” Seabourne said.

“Sealing roads at the right time stops water getting in, protects the structure underneath and keeps the network performing well for years to come.”

He acknowledged surfacing decisions could be contentious, particularly in areas where roads move from asphalt to chipseal.

During the 2025/26 season, community interest was strongest in parts of Pāpāmoa.

“We understand people care deeply about their streets. While feedback was strong before and during construction, once the work was finished there were very few ongoing issues. That tells us the network is performing as expected,” Seabourne said.

To reduce confusion, the council said it’s improving how it communicates upcoming works.

A draft of the full 2026/27 programme is already available on the council website, with targeted letters planned closer to construction, followed by a final reminder immediately before work begins.

Any broader discussion about reintroducing property‑owner‑funded asphalt resurfacing will be considered through the 2027–37 Long‑term Plan process, allowing the wider community to have its say.