Papamoa surf lifesavers have asked Tauranga City Council to waive thousands of dollars in fees to help them build a new $5 million clubhouse.
Papamoa Community Surf Rescue Base Trust chairman Richard Coles yesterday told the Tauranga City Council meeting the club hoped to start building the clubhouse as early as July 2015.
The new building would be about three times the size of the current clubhouse and would be built away from the predicted future erosion zone, he said.
Mr Coles said the trust had applied for a significant amount of funding to help with the consent process but the council could help by waiving or subsidising the processing fees.
"These fees could be anything from $5000 to $40,000 depending on the level of notification required," he said.
"Forty-thousand dollars is getting a bit high for us and we would appreciate any help council could give in relation to that."
Mr Coles said positive progress had been made with the project, including locking down a lease site for the build with council.
"We are aiming to have the resource consent process completed by January 2015 and lodged by September that year, and ideally we would be building the clubhouse towards the end of 2015," he said.
The new building was vital given how fast the club was growing, with an estimated membership of more than 1000 people by 2016, Mr Coles said.
"Lifeguards are using shipping containers for storage at the moment," he said.
"Some equipment is not able to fit in these containers and they are left out in the open. There have been thefts in the past, which is disheartening."
Mr Coles said the design meant parts of the building could be shut off, allowing community groups to use the clubhouse.
Mayor Stuart Crosby said council staff would look at options. A decision was expected within two months.