In a significant turnaround, the Waitara Golf Club is set to secure a nominal $1 annual lease agreement, moving away from the substantial market-rate payments of $11,215 it had been making previously. The New Plymouth District Council’s strategy and operations committee has unanimously endorsed this “peppercorn rental” arrangement, aligning the club’s terms with other sports facilities operating on reserve land.
The path to this agreement proved particularly intricate due to the property’s status under the New Plymouth District Council (Waitara Lands) Act 2018. This legislation created a complex governance structure where lease revenue must be distributed among three separate entities: Te Kōwhatu Tu Moana, the Te Tai Pari Board, and the Taranaki Regional Council.
Following the expiration of its previous lease in July without renewal rights, the club entered negotiations with the council for a new 15-year lease covering 20.5 hectares. Accoring to thepost.co.nz The breakthrough came when Te Kōwhatu Tu Moana requested application of the Community Funding Investment Policy, which establishes the nominal $1 fee structure for community organizations.
While Te Kōwhatu Tu Moana and the Te Tai Pari Board readily supported the new lease terms, the Taranaki Regional Council expressed hesitation about committing before the establishment of the Waitara River Committee, which will include local hapū representatives. Council officials noted this reluctance posed minimal risk, as the committee would likely consist of the same hapū members who had already indicated support.
“At the heart of it is a golf club, a well-used golf club, that is looking for a lease that matches other golf clubs,” Councillor Dinnie Moeahu stated during deliberations, urging colleagues not to let governance complexities overshadow the fundamental fairness of the arrangement.
Fellow Councillor Tony Bedford characterised the recommendation as “a great outcome” that resolves an issue that had remained unresolved for an extended period. The committee’s recommendation now awaits final ratification by the full council.
