Sports Park
The Hastings Council proposes to build a “regional” sports facility on Percival Road in Hastings. Submissions on the proposal (in the context of amending the Hastings District long term community plan – LTCCP) have closed, and hearing on these will be held by the Council on June 16-17. In addition, hearings are still underway by independent commissioners on the related District Plan Change that must be approved before the project can proceed.
All the Council can legally do at this point is complete the new athletics track, a project well underway at Percival Road. They may not proceed with a grandstand on the scale envisioned in the regional sports park proposal unless and until the two review processes described above result in formal approval.
The Hastings Council has played the role of a strong advocate of this project from the outset, failing to present genuine alternatives, fatally compromising its ability to pursue and protect the public interest in an objective manner, and making a mockery of the so-called consultation process. Indeed, the consultation process may be so flawed as to justify legal challenge.
Setting this flawed process aside, the substantive merits of the proposed sport complex have not been established with the rigour and conclusiveness that ratepayers should expect for a project that: a) might well have a capital cost exceeding $62 million and require years of rates subsidization; and b) might commit Hastings District, if not the region, to a ineffective strategy for attaining the social outcomes intended.
All of these issues are examined in detail in the series of submissions presented below from various community leaders. You can use the links provided to read and download any of these submissions.
We encourage you to familiarize yourself with the issues and make your views known to Councillors. While the formal submission process is completed, Councillors will of course be mindful of any contacts they receive from constituents on the matter.
Huge financial and strategic stakes are involved in this decision. Please make your views known.
Submissions available here:
Hawke’s Bay Horticultural Land Protection Society
As well as the views of Councillor Wayne Bradshaw.
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