Land Lease Problems Scupper Plan For Manāia Iwi-Council Centre

Friday, 18 April 2025, 1:01 pm
Article: Craig Ashworth - Local Democracy Reporting

A joint iwi-council bid to build a community and sports centre at Manāia in coastal South Taranaki has fallen over.

Te Korowai o Ngāruahine and South Taranaki District Council have worked for three years on Project Tūkau to replace the Manāia sports complex and hall with a multi-purpose iwi and community facility.

Together they developed an initial business case, then a more detailed analysis focused on commercial and relationship agreements.

South Taranaki’s mayor Phil Nixon said since August they’ve been “exploring various ownership and operating models” but Project Tūkau didn’t add up.

“Transferring land ownership of the Memorial Hall site from the council to Te Korowai was problematic and, along with potential lease-back arrangements, was just not viable for either party.”

Nixon said STDC understood community frustration with the time the project had taken and councillors at Monday’s council meeting told officers to prioritise a plan for a standalone facility.

“We just need to get on and make something tangible happen as quickly as possible.”

Te Korowai pouwhakarae Emma Gardiner said the two parties were now pursuing their own Manāia developments but the iwi agency remained optimistic about future cooperation.

“Although we are progressing separate projects, we know that both parties will have a positive impact on the future of Manāia.”

“Because of the way we structured both the ‘outcomes framework’ and the business case, both can be divided by their parts and utilised – so neither party is starting the due-diligence from scratch.”

She said much of the work could also be used for future town planning.

Nixon said neither side wanted Project Tūkau to fail and it had been worth trying.

“The concept provided the potential for us to combine our resources to achieve a great outcome for the whole community.”

He too was optimistic that each could “focus on their respective projects while maintaining a strong relationship and the desire to explore future collaboration opportunities.”

Earthquake risks closed the hall in 2015, and the sports centre in 2017.

In 2018 the council approved up to $1 million to rebuild the town hall, but community consultation left no clear direction whether to have a combined facility or two separate ones.

Meanwhile Ngāruahine uri (descendants) had been calling for Te Korowai to relocate its headquarters from Te Hāwera back to their own tribal area.

In 2022 Te Korowai’s then-pouwhakahaere Paula Carr said the iwi needed more than an office: “A cultural creative space to support large iwi activities, and which complements the role and mahi of our hapū at a pā level.”

Carr said if Project Tūkau went ahead it “would include a sale, development and long-term lease back with the South Taranaki District Council.”

“It may also include a management contract for the civic facilities – library, hall, pools.”

The Manāia community drew up an ambitious wish-list:

• a centre for a rejuvenated town showcasing Ngāruahinetanga;

• ANZAC commemoration to replace the Memorial Hall;

• community initiatives and events, whānau and hapū celebrations;

• arts and education – wānanga, festivals, concerts and productions;

• an accessible gym and sports facility;

• youth social initiatives and counselling;

• a market space, commercial kitchen and café;

• a library, gallery, meeting rooms and civil defence centre.

Project Tūkau was conditional on due diligence and a feasibility study of such things as design, ownership, operations, costings and funding.

Back then Deputy Mayor Robert Northcott said the proposal made good sense for Manāia and could be a template for other partnerships.

But he cautioned that “as in any partnership the agreement, the business case, needs to be fairly robust and well worked through.”

The population of Manāia-Kāpuni fell four percent between the 2006 and 2018 censuses.

But the official Māori population increased 19 percent to become 36 percent of the total – despite the Government admitting Māori had been significantly under-counted.

Manaia township recorded a 45 percent Māori population - mainly Ngāruahine - but the framework found there was very little mana whenua history and culture in civic planning and design.

The name Tūkau springs from the Parihaka resistance movement that Ngāruahine was part of, to stop Crown confiscation of land.

‘Tū’ is to stand, establish, hold, and convene: ‘kau’ means unreservedly, totally, without any doubt.

LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ on Air

© Scoop Media

Local Democracy Reporting

Content from the Local Democracy Reporting (LDR) service is published by Scoop as a registered New Zealand Media Outlet LDR Partner.