Regional Sports Park gets Big Tick from Commissioners

Independent accredited commissioners Alan Watson and Terry Brown have recommended Hastings District Council can change its District Plan to allow the Regional Sports Park project to proceed, and Hastings District Councillors have this afternoon voted to accept the recommendation.

The proposal “Plan Change 42 - Special Purpose Zone: Regional Sports Park” changes the zoning of the Percival Road area, and also allows the council to link Percival Road to Lyndhurst Road.

The existing plan allowed the council to lay the all-weather track, but needed to be broadened to allow the project to continue further. Now, the council can go ahead with the development within the constraints of the Resource Management Act and its own ten year plan.

Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule said the decision paves the way for the future of sport in Hawke’s Bay.

“The Regional Sports Park project will not only establish an international quality sporting facility but is expected to generate an extra $43 million in Hawke's Bay, with 580 extra jobs in the market,” Lawrence said.

“The commissioners acknowledged the impact the Regional Sports Park would have on the immediate agricultural area, however they believed these localised environmental effects were outweighed by the social and economic benefits to the community.”

Sport Hawke’s Bay chief executive Colin Stone also applauds the decision.

“This is an excellent result for the region. Sport Hawke’s Bay aims to support the development and improvement of sport and recreation facilities and grow participation in physical activity as a result, and this will be a huge step forward for Hawke’s Bay,” Mr Stone said.