Cultural Precinct Project

Masterplan options

In June 2018, the council selected Warren and Mahoney/Boffa Miskell to deliver a masterplan. They came up with four masterplan options that we have sought community feedback on.

Each of the options put a high priority on people and public space. This was based on feedback from some key stakeholders and those who attended a public meeting in July.

All options look to use some of the existing buildings in the area, including the Great Lake Centre and library, and strengthen the green open spaces and the connections with one another to create new public areas for the community to enjoy.

The options all include a new museum and a building for council's administration functions.

In all options, car parking will not be compromised and will be merged into the landscape design and located as clusters within the site and on the bounding roads.

Cultural Precinct Project masterplan options (PDF, 7.5MB)

Matrix assessment

Here is the matrix assessment the master planners used to look at the pros and cons of each of the four options.

Matrix assessment (PDF, 633KB)

Survey and feedback

Thank you for all the feedback received. A copy of all survey responses can be found here along with a document that summarises the key principles and points raised.

Survey feedback (PDF, 20MB)

Key principles and points raised (PDF, 49KB)

Preferred masterplan option

Following a council workshop on November 12, the council chose a preferred masterplan option for development. That option was option B.

Draft masterplan

The draft of that masterplan was presented to the council at a workshop on December 5.

Cultural Precinct masterplan draft (PDF, 14.6MB)

Final masterplan

This is the final version of the masterplan with a few minor changes asked for by Council. This included the following wording:

Bowling and Tennis: Relocation of these facilities will be in alignment with TDC Sport and Recreation Strategy and the Tongariro Domain Reserve Management Plan which are underway and due for review respectively.

There has also been some cross section information added, and formatting changes.

Cultural Precinct masterplan final (PDF, 17.5MB)

Civic administration building business case

Draft business case

The draft civic administration building location assessment business case was presented to the council at a workshop on February 5, 2019.

Draft Civic Administration Building business case (PDF, 11.6MB)

Feasibility studies on Tuwharetoa Street and Lake Terrace locations

Tuwharetoa Street Feasibility (PDF, 30MB)

Lake Terrace Feasibility (PDF, 20.2MB)

Preferred site for administration building

Taupo District Council chose a council-owned building on the Tūwharetoa Street carpark behind Burger King as the preferred site for its administration building at an extraordinary council meeting held on Monday, February 11.

Read the full news story

Watch the extraordinary council meeting

What happens next?

We will consult with the community again on all potential sites for the council's administration functions, and the potential costs, in a more formal way before a final decision is made. That is likely to take place in April/May 2019.

Frequently asked questions

We have developed these frequently asked questions about the Cultural Precinct Project. If there's a question we haven't answered, you can email project manager Philip King at cpp@taupo.govt.nz

Frequently asked questions (PDF, 165KB)

Background

Last year Taupō District Council was required to vacate its former administration building at 72 Lake Terrace due to a number of health and safety issues including the detection of friable asbestos and the need to undertake earthquake strengthening.

During the development of the 2017/18 Annual Plan, we consulted with the community on a number of different options, from refurbishment to a new build, with the preferred option being to build a new building at the Lake Terrace site. However, following feedback the decision was made to build a new building, on a site to be determined. It was also decided to investigate lease options as an alternative to self-funding a new building.

The majority of staff relocated to five sites in the Taupō CBD during the year, and investigations continued into potential sites and funding options. Calls for expressions of interest from parties who may have been interested in leasing a building, site or both were made, and there were five responses, but all were discounted during the site selection process in October for various reasons.

Instead, the council decided to investigate the development of the area fronting on to Story Place near the Great Lake Centre and the library for the new building as its preferred option. The other two options, in order of preference, were to build on the Tuwharetoa Street carpark or on the former site at 72 Lake Terrace.

It was hoped that the investigations would be complete in time to ask the community for feedback on options as part of the development of our 2018-28 Long-term Plan. However, late last year we recognised an opportunity to take a good look at the wider picture and to do it once and do it right'.

In February, we approved the development of a masterplan for the area by the Great Lake Centre to see what efficiencies can be made, what opportunities can be capitalised on, and to futureproof any development going forward. We think there is a real opportunity to include new cultural, arts and heritage facilities to replace the existing Taupō Museum, but we want to gain a better understanding of the details, including costs, before we make the decision to seek the community's feedback. We also want to further investigate the potential to attract funding from outside sources as has been done in other centres.

In early June 2018, following a request for proposal process and presentations from the top two respondents, the council selected Warren and Mahoney/Boffa Miskell to deliver the masterplan. They began consulting with key stakeholders in July.

Funding of $15.7 million has been included in the 2018-2028 Long-term Plan for a new building as a placeholder and it is likely the Long-term Plan will be amended following the development of the masterplan, community consultation and a decision on where our administration functions should be housed.

Phase one feedback and insights

As part of the first phase of the master planning process, we sought feedback from key stakeholders about what was important for the area going forward. Our master planners developed six insights to help get people thinking about the project, and guide input from our community. This feedback helped us define what was important so it could be captured in the planning process.

This defined list will be available on completion, and through the design phase there will be opportunities for community feedback to the design team to consider in the master plan.

Insights (PDF, 142KB)

Videos and interviews