Ground lease at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub for Netsal Centre

Netsal, an organisation set up by Christchurch Netball, and Mainland Football, has been looking for a suitable site for a joint indoor court facility. They have approached Council for a ground lease to develop a Netsal Centre at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub.

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Consultation has now closed

Consultation on Ground lease at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub for Netsal Centre has now closed. People were able to provide feedback from 4 March to 6 April 2020.

During this time we heard from 93 groups and individuals. You can read their feedback as part of the staff report and agenda(external link) for the Hearing Panel.

After receiving all submissions and hearing those submitters who requested to speak, the Reserves Act Hearing Panel recommended the Council :

• Receives and considers the information in the report, the submissions and all other relevant information received on the Proposed Ground Lease at Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub for Netsal Centre.
• Approves the granting of a ground lease, subject to section 54(1)(b) of the Reserves Act 1977 to Netsal Sports Centre Limited for a period up to 33 years over a portion of land consisting of 13,240m2 being part of Lot 3 DP 73928, CB 42C/1204, at Nga Puna Wai, 138 Wigram Road, Sockburn at an annual rental set in accordance with the Council’s Sports Lease Charges Policy.
• Authorises the Property Consultancy Manager to administer, negotiate and conclude the terms and conditions of the lease, including the following:
• Requests that the lease contains a clause requiring Netsal during the lease term to engage in a collaborative and partnering way with other sporting bodies that occupy Ngā Puna Wai. 
• Requests that the lease contains a clause requesting that trucks relating to the construction are expected to use alternative entrances to Ngā Puna Wai, such as Wigram Road and McMahon Drive, and not using Augustine Drive or Curletts Road unless absolutely necessary.
• Requests that the lease contains a clause for all external lighting for both parking and the building to be on a timer, as is other lighting in Ngā Puna Wai which automatically turns off at 10pm.
• Requests staff to develop a comprehensive Traffic Management Plan with input from existing operational parties within Ngā Puna Wai including:
  • Mitigating the amount of parking on residential streets and encouraging parking within Ngā Puna Wai grounds itself, such as use of the community fields.
  • Both internal traffic and parking issues within Ngā Puna Wai and surrounding residential streets.
• Requests staff to consider options for traffic calming measures on surrounding residential streets and leading in to Ngā Puna Wai, and report back to the Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board for consideration.
• Requests staff to investigate the future of a shared cycleway from Curletts Road to Ngā Puna Wai.
• Requests staff to work with Environment Canterbury on options for future travel plans for public transport to and from Ngā Puna Wai
• Requests staff to report back to the Council on options for the development of an additional entrance at Ngā Puna Wai for the inclusion in the draft 2021-2031 Long Term Plan. Noting that the primary concern of the majority of submitters related to the impact on the existing entrance off Augustine Drive.
• Requests staff to investigate possible options to soften the impact of the building on the adjoining neighbours.

You can read the minutes of the meeting(external link) and the minutes attachments(external link).

On 11 June 2020 the Council agreed to give Netsal a 33-year lease on the land. You can read more on Newsline.

 

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The application

Christchurch Netball own and operate the Christchurch Netball Centre in Hagley Park. However, this site is subject to weather and there’s a shortage of high quality indoor netball courts in Christchurch.

Post-earthquake, Christchurch Netball was offered funding from a private benefactor for a new purpose-built, indoor netball facility. They teamed up with Mainland Football Federation to find a good location for a major city sporting venue, able to accommodate a range of other indoor sports organisations and diverse community groups.

Netsal Sports Centre Limited has applied for a ground lease for approximately 13,240m² in Ngā Puna Wai Reserve, within the existing sports hub. A hearings panel will consider all community feedback before making a recommendation to Council.

Lease details 

The ground lease application is for 13,240m2 on the south-west side of Ngā Puna Wai Reserve (land Lot 3 DP 73928)
for a term of 33 years (including all rights of renewal). Fees and charges for the ground lease will be in-line with the Council’s Long Term Plan.

Why Ngā Puna Wai is a good location

Ngā Puna Wai Sports Hub is in an ideal position to accommodate a multi-court indoor facility.  Locating the Netsal Centre within a larger sporting hub will mean convenient and easy access for athletes, spectators and the public. The Netsal Centre will also complement the sporting activities already happening at Ngā Puna Wai.

Landscaping

Landscaping and other environmental impacts of the development are not part of the lease and are determined through the building’s resource consent. At this stage it is proposed that a bund is installed between the walkway and the building, with plants on top to screen the building from the nearest neighbours on Euphrasie Drive.

While the Netsal Centre is a significantly sized building, it leaves enough room for the future development of community fields, as set out in the Ngā Puna Wai Masterplan. If the indoor courts are built, additional parking will be provided at the popular sports hub.

The building

Decisions about the Netsal Centre building are also made through the consent process and are not necessarily considered as part of a ground lease application. However, you can view the details of the building, including dimensions in the design document [PDF, 11 MB]. You can also visit each of the Netsal partner websites for more information, including the Netsal Centre business case.

mainlandfootball.co.nz(external link)

netballchristchurch.org.nz(external link)

Location