Tuesday 4 December 2012

Council releases memorandum on proposed Hagley Oval Cricket ground redevelopment

Christchurch City Council has released a memorandum clarifying the impact of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan on the proposed redevelopment of the cricket ground at the Hagley Oval.

The Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA) has clarified that the enhancement of Hagley Oval was included in the Recovery Plan so that, should the Council decide to redevelop the Oval to allow it to bid for 2015 Cricket World Cup games and be successful in that bid, it would be easier to work through the legal requirement to make this happen.

In order for the proposed redevelopment to proceed, Canterbury Cricket has to obtain resource consent for the pavilion, light towers and the embankment. The Council has to decide whether or not to approve the proposed scope of work for the embankment and the grant of a ground lease to Canterbury Cricket for the pavilion and light towers.

The Christchurch Central Recovery Plan includes the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as a cricket ground capable of hosting domestic cricket matches and international tests as an Anchor Project.

The Council is responsible for the administration of Hagley Park. The governing document for the Council’s administration of Hagley Park is the Hagley Park Management Plan 2007. It provides the policies for managing the park, including the regular sporting activities that take place there.

Under section 23 of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Act 2011 the Hagley Park Management Plan cannot be inconsistent with the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan. This means the proposed redevelopment of the Hagley Oval cricket ground is now included in the Hagley Park Management Plan.

The memorandum has been prepared in conjunction with the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority’s (CERA) Legal Team in response to the Council’s Community, Recreation and Culture Committee (CRAC) resolution seeking clarification from CERA on the impact of the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan on the Hagley Park Management Plan, and the intentions of CERA in including an international cricket ground in the Plan.

General Manager Community Services Michael Aitken says the memorandum has provided clarification.

“The inclusion of the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as an Anchor Project in the Christchurch Central Recovery Plan has meant that the Hagley Park Management Plan now effectively includes the redevelopment of Hagley Oval as a venue for domestic and international cricket.”

Community, Recreation and Culture Committee Chair Yani Johanson says it is vital that everyone has the opportunity to the see the memorandum, “Given the significant public interest in this proposed redevelopment on Hagley Oval it is important that this information is released clarifying the legal position between CERA and the Council.”

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