Have your say on reserves proposal
Community consultation on a proposal to revoke the reserve status of 10 reserve sites in Rotorua, sell these and make them available for housing is now open.
Feedback received will be used to assist with decision-making about whether to proceed with the proposal and how.
It is proposed that if the sale of the identified sites – 2 full reserves and 8 parts of reserves – goes ahead, the proceeds of sale would be used to improve Rotorua’s reserves network, in the areas where sites are sold, and that this would be by way of improved facilities or purchasing new reserve land in areas where there is currently an under-supply.
Community consultation will close on 1 July 2022.
Decisions to be made following community consultation will include:
- Whether or not to proceed with the revocation and sale of any reserve or part reserve;
- The legal method for revocation and disposal (ie via a Local Bill or existing Reserves Act process);
- The reserves to be developed or enhanced with funds received from the proceeds of the disposal;
- Any conditions to be applied to housing development by purchasers.
The proposal identifies 10 sites – 2 full reserves and 8 parts of reserves – that do not meet the objectives of Council’s Open Space Level of Service Policy and could be used for housing of various types. The sites were identified during a review of urban reserves that was undertaken as part of implementing the open space policy, which was adopted last April following community consultation.
The areas proposed for disposal total approximately 9.5 hectares, about 0.6% of Council’s overall reserves network which currently includes more than 370 individual reserves totalling approximately 1500 hectares.
Two full reserves are identified for potential disposal – Gallagher Street Reserve, which is not used for recreation but for grazing animals; and Lee Road Reserve which has no facilities and is close to other large reserves.
Eight other sites identified for consideration are parts of reserves that fall short of safety design standards and/or have no clear purpose or function and/or are areas where safety is a concern.
The proposal includes the following sites:
- Lee Road Reserve
- Coulter Road Reserve (part only)
- High Street Reserve (part only)
- Glenholme Reserve - 117 Clinkard Avenue (part only)
- Gallagher Street Reserve
- Linton Park West - 16 Kamahi Road (part only)
- Wrigley Road Reserve (part only)
- Turner Drive Reserve (part only)
- Park Road Reserve (part only)
- Steeles Lane Reserve (part only)
It is proposed that reserve status for the sites, if the proposal goes ahead, be revoked using a Local Bill, which will be faster than the revocation process under the Reserves Act. Both processes involve community consultation.
Direct sale to Kāinga Ora of the following sites is also proposed:
- Lee Road Reserve
- Coulter Road Reserve (part only)
- High Street Reserve (part only)
- Glenholme Reserve - 117 Clinkard Avenue (part only)
- Turner Drive Reserve (part only)
- Steeles Lane Reserve (part only)
And that the sale of those reserves to Kāinga Ora be conditional on:
a. Kāinga Ora and Council reaching agreement on the value of the identified sites; and
b. Kāinga Ora committing to providing mixed model housing developments that includes a mix of social housing and progressive home ownership models and market sale; and
c. Kāinga Ora committing to delivering housing on the identified sites within two years.
The remaining identified sites would be sold via market sale or directly to a community housing provider where appropriate, conditional on the purchaser committing to delivering housing within two years.
