The former Coast sales pavillion is available for lease as office space. Photo/John Borren
The idea of a tavern being built metres from a childcare centre has been described as "utter lunacy" through a submission opposed to a proposed development in Papamoa.
Felton Developments submitted a resource consent application to Tauranga City Council in April with plans to develop land on the corner of Sandhurst Drive and Gloucester Street.
It wanted the residential land rezoned for a 12,770 square metre mixed-use development. Attached to the existing New Shoots childcare centre, it would include a small New World supermarket, eight retail shops and eight two-bedroom apartments above.
An artist's impression also included a separate 350sqm building in the corner of the site labelled "tavern".
In response to concerns - noise, traffic, parking, light and the tavern - raised by the council and local residents, Felton asked the council to suspend the application in July.
Morgan Jones from the development managers of the project, Veros Property Service, said they were working with the design team to respond to the issues raised.
He said the community's views on the tavern were being taken on board and more details would be available in a couple of weeks.
"The long-term owner of the land is passionate about bringing a high-quality convenience centre to the area that provides a much better service offering to the local community."
The council gave the Bay of Plenty Times 24 public submissions on the application, of which 20 were opposed, two supportive and two neutral.
Thirteen had issues with the tavern, including many submissions raising concerns about its close proximity to the daycare.
David and Diana Begley, who lived down the road, called it "utter lunacy".
A submission on behalf of New Shoots said a tavern would be "incompatible" with the sensitive nature of the childcare centre.
"In terms of amenity and character, the uses are conflicting especially with after work drinks being held at the same time as peak pick up hours at the early childcare centre."
New Shoots asked for more information about that tenancy, or conditions that would restrict it to being predominantly an eatery.
Other opposition submitters were not happy about the rezoning proposition, saying they bought their properties thinking it would be a residential neighbourhood.
In a 12-page letter to the developer, Tauranga City Council development planner Shannan Miles raised concerns about noise, traffic, parking, light spill, as well as whether the area could support two new retail spaces.
Two submitters supported the plans, one a local resident saying the area needed more shopping facilities and the other, a representative of Foodstuffs, owner of New World, which was the supermarket brand planned for the site.
Documents relating to the application were available on the council's website.
Classic Developments has planned a supermarket, along with a cafe, bar and restaurant, for its site straddling the beach end of Coast Boulevard - a kilometre from Felton's site.
The company's business development manager Daniel Watkins said the existing resource consent covered the bar and restaurant, but "minor variations" were required for the supermarket and cafe.
A consent application was being prepared for submission towards the end of the year.
Classic Developments director Peter Cooney said construction on the bar and restaurant would begin in the next month or so.
He said brother-sister hospitality team Emma Kupa and Ben Squire of The Lakes' Maude restaurant were signed on to run the new eatery.
Mrs Kupa said they were opening a gastropub to be called The Good Home along the same lines as Maude.
"It will be the same sort of relaxed but quality place where you can eat and drink with the whole family."
She said there would be a large garden bar, "bright and breezy" decor echoing the sophisticated modern Kiwi bach and lots of fresh local produce on the menu.
Further along Coast Boulevard, a new childcare centre will soon be built.
BestStart, New Zealand's largest early childcare provider, was beginning construction on the new centre.
New developments analyst Cindy Young said it was planned for about a 100-place licence and would cater for 0-5-year-olds.
Meanwhile, the former Coast sales pavilion building has been advertised for lease as office space for small businesses.
Q Building was at 88 Coast Boulevard and had seven office spaces ranging from 10.2sqm to 35.5sqm.