An artist's rendering of what the proposed Tīrau Starbucks and Burger King development could look like.
An artist's rendering of what the proposed Tīrau Starbucks and Burger King development could look like.
A decision about the controversial Tīrau Starbucks and Burger King development is looming.
South Waikato District Council said the council’s independent hearing panel held hearings in August and had since received all the necessary information.
“At this stage, we do not have a confirmed release date for the decision,” thecouncil said.
“We anticipate the commissioners will make a decision by mid to end October.”
In 2023, Tahua Properties Limited, a New Zealand retail and hospitality investment company that operates Starbucks New Zealand, Burger King New Zealand and Popeyes New Zealand, applied for a resource consent from South Waikato District Council.
If approved, the Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant with drive-through facilities would be located at 69A Main Rd, between Tīrau Primary School and Tīrau Community Church, and across the road from the BP gas station.
It is currently a residential property, which would be demolished.
The Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant would operate seven days a week from 5am to 2am.
During the consultation period in July last year, the council received 148 submissions on the resource consent applications, with 39 in support, 104 in opposition and five neutral.
The proposal gained nationwide attention, with people from Auckland to Otago having their say.
Submitters against the proposal were mainly concerned about traffic, noise and the impact on the town’s character and established businesses.
In 2023, Tahua Properties Limited applied for a resource consent from South Waikato District Council to build and operate a Starbucks coffeehouse and Burger King restaurant with drive-through facilities in Tīrau.
Submitters in favour said the town needed to evolve and move with the times so having Burger King and Starbucks on offer could benefit the district and would also provide cheaper meal options and employment opportunities.
Hearings concluded on September 11 this year.
One of the people speaking at the hearing was Gray Matter senior transportation engineer Alastair Black, who said he believed the traffic effects could be mitigated – subject to “suitable conditions”, including the implementation of a construction traffic management plan and a loading management plan.
Black recommended including a speed bump inside the site and defining peak activity hours.
Landscape architect David Mansergh said he believed the effects of the proposal could not be fully mitigated by design choices.
“The primarily effect on existing character arises from a change in the site’s current function, use and appearance,” Mansergh wrote in his speaking notes.
“These changes are large enough and ... the proposal is likely to appear incongruous with its immediate surroundings.
“In saying this, my assessment is not made on the basis that the characteristics of the site and surrounding neighbourhood must remain unchanged, rather that change should be consistent with the characteristics of the existing residential neighbourhood environment.”
Danielle Zollickhofer is the Waikato news director and a multimedia journalist at the Waikato Herald. She joined NZME in 2021 and is based in Hamilton.
