The new building would feature changing rooms, a gym, showers and bathrooms, a meeting room, a kitchen and bar and a large social area, according to concept plans submitted to the council.
The domain could also be upgraded in future with two new netball courts, under the plans.
The plan to upgrade White Domain. Photo / CHBDC
Pōrangahau Sports Club president Andy Barrett said the club had amazing community support on match days, and it would be great to host supporters and teams at the domain with the new clubrooms.
Currently, he said people get in their vehicles after a match and about half just head home, rather than heading to the clubrooms.
He said their existing clubrooms further down Dundas St had come to the end of their life, and the proposal would “future proof” the club for generations to come and improve the domain for the community.
The club has yet to decide what to do with the existing clubrooms and land, which it owns.
The club currently has one senior rugby team, five senior netball teams (who play matches in Waipukurau), and five junior rugby teams (in partnership with two local primary schools).
He encouraged the community to have a say on the proposal.
Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is currently considering granting a long-term lease of the domain to the sports club.
“Under the lease, the club would be allowed to build new clubrooms and operate the club from the domain,” a proposal summary stated.
Public feedback (via the council’s letstalkchb website) has been open since July and has been extended to August 25, with the council citing high community interest for consultation.
The council confirmed if a long-term lease was granted, the club would require a building consent to construct the clubrooms.
Whether a resource consent would be needed or not was “subject to the club’s final proposal”, a council spokeswoman added.
Currently, the domain has a rugby field and a training field, public toilets, small changing sheds, a playground, recycling containers and a helicopter pad (for the rescue helicopter).
Those facilities will remain under the proposal, according to concept plans.
Pōrangahau Sports Club posted on social media that: “It’s going to be an absolute asset to the community, transitioning from our premises on Dundas St to the White Domain, our aim is to further enhance and bring an upgraded facility and park for everyone to use.”
The lease is proposed to commence in December for an initial 11-year period, with the option to renew the lease twice more after that (for a further 11 years each).
The club also supports a football team and other winter sports played at both local schools.
