NEWS RELEASE

Council sticks with Cobham Park for indoor sports centre

Wellington City Council will continue with a 2006/07 Annual Plan decision to build a 12-court Indoor Community Sports Centre at Cobham Park.

Mayor Kerry Prendergast said at a full Council meeting last night that investigation work on a proposal to build the sports centre at Harbour Quays at the Port had highlighted issues that could not be resolved. Councillors voted to stick to the original plan to build the sports centre at Cobham Park in Kilbirnie.

"It is with great reluctance that we have come to this conclusion," Mayor Prendergast says.

"Wellington City Council, CentrePort and Greater Wellington have worked closely together and have weighed up every possible option. While all believed it was a fantastic location, Harbour Quays would have cost at least $65 million, around $20 million more than Cobham Park, and presented more complex site issues that would have been expensive to resolve and delayed construction. A new consultation round would also have been required, delaying the project even further."

Mayor Prendergast said it was important that Council investigated the Harbour Quays site, which only became a viable option after initial investigation work had started on Cobham Park. Its proximity to Westpac Stadium and the transport hub had made it a very attractive proposition.

CentrePort Chairman Nigel Gould said they were disappointed that the complex will not be established within its Harbour Quays development area but understood the Council's reasons for choosing the Cobham Park option.

"The evaluation of the CentrePort site has involved some incredible work by those involved and has had significant value in focusing on future opportunities both for the City and CentrePort."

Work would now progress on Cobham Park with construction likely to start within the next 10 months.

"Cobham Park is still an excellent site and there are a number of benefits related to locating the centre there. It will enable a 12-court facility with sufficient on-site parking to be developed that is not constrained by land area or site shape. It will have a greater community focus and not be affected by large-scale events at the Westpac Stadium as Harbour Quays would have been. It's also close to around 40 schools and 14,000 students compared to 21 schools and 8000 students at Harbour Quays."

The centre at Cobham Park is now estimated to cost $46 million, $6 million more than initially thought due to increased construction costs and more detailed design work. It is likely it would be completed by February 2010 in time for the start of the first school term. The site also has the potential to increase by three further courts in the future.

The Council will work closely with the local community to work through issues of concern. Initial investigations have shown that the effects of increased traffic, which local residents were concerned about, could be resolved with only minor improvements.

ENDS

© Scoop Media