The four-storey courthouse will better support court participants and the operation of the courts and is designed to reflect the local community and landscape it sits in, the ministry said.
“The number of courtrooms across both sites will increase from 10 to 13, including courtrooms for jury trials and judge-alone hearings, and the courthouse has been designed to enable future expansion if needed,” ministry deputy secretary of corporate services, Dr Kelvin Watson said.
“This improved functionality will mean more High Court matters can be dealt with in Tauranga, resulting in less travel disruption for victims and court participants who currently need to travel to Rotorua for jury trials.”
Watson said the new courthouse would also include more fit-for-purpose spaces for whānau as well as dedicated areas for wraparound services for court participants and improved public counters.
He said courthouses could be intimidating environments, and the physical layout could add to that, especially for victims.
In Tauranga, as well as other key sites, Watson said the ministry was working to create spaces that were modern, safe, accessible and, most importantly, designed with and for the communities they serve.
The ministry’s project partner Te Kāhui Hapū o Te Papa, representing six local hapū, provided guidance from a mana whenua perspective and architect firm GHD Design worked with design company GB-A to deliver the design.
Members of the local judiciary, court staff and community service providers, as well as the legal profession, Police, Corrections, and people with personal experience of going through the justice system also contributed to the design process.
Cabinet approved funding to redevelop the courthouse in July 2023.
Initially set for completion in 2026, the project was put “under review” in February 2023 after inflationary cost pressures post Covid-19.
The new build was first proposed in 2019, the new courthouse project aimed at “rethinking traditional courthouse design” which had been labelled “alienating and distressing” by victims, according to then Justice Minister Andrew Little.
Construction on the new building was expected to be completed by 2028.
The contract to build the new courthouse, which will span around 8300m2 had been awarded to construction company Hawkins Limited.
“Hawkins is experienced in large-scale public and commercial sector builds and has worked with the Ministry on this project since March 2024, including getting the site prepared for construction,” Watson said.
“The building design reflects a contemporary whare, with waharoa [a traditional Māori gateway] at the main entrance and cultural narratives depicted on the facade.
“The design also draws on the principle of Hohou Te Rongo, a traditional Māori process of reconciliation and peace-making."
