Star Turf avoids hefty fee

Duncan Wright and wife Sian Stevenson are pleased with the response from council and are excited to move forward with their new premises.

A business's tussle with the Hamilton City Council over a hefty development contribution fee is over and means Star Turf can keep its doors open.

Star Turf is now able to move to larger premises, having worked closely with the council to avoid the potential fee.

Hamilton News reported in July that the business was facing a $56,000 development contribution fee to move the indoor soccer centre from Kahikatea Drive to Te Rapa after the city's new district plan came into legal effect, changing the zone Star Turf wanted to move to from a mix of commercial service and industrial to industrial only.

Development contributions may be required on the granting of a resource consent, building consent and/or service connection and are based on the increase in demand on the council's infrastructure network, due to growth.

Star Turf owner Duncan Wright was told by the council that moving his commercial business into industrial-zoned premises would trigger the need for a resource consent and a $56,000 development contribution. The fee would stem from more people visiting the area and placing extra demand on roading and wastewater services.

The business, which sees about 200 people through its doors each week, caters for soccer leagues and skill development.

Mr Wright has owned the business for the past two years but says it has outgrown its 610sqm site.

The development fee would have put considerable financial pressure on the business.

"We would not have been able to afford to and we'd have had to shut down," said Mr Wright.

That news sparked outrage among Star Turf patrons. However, after Mr Wright aired his concerns with Hamilton News, the council worked with Star Turf to find premises large enough for the business to expland. The new property is zoned industrial.

"[They were] very helpful and we feel they did everything to help us to reactivate the old resource consent. They understood how important the business was to the footballing community and to all our customers," said Mr Wright. "Our new premises will be a major boost to the footballing community in the area as we will be able to offer more sessions and opportunities because we will have two pitches. The turf that we will be using is tailor-made to football only."

The new building, at 82 Duke St, was previously used as an indoor cricket facility and has all the facilities Star Turf needed. Doors will open at the new premises in the new year.

Because the property had been used as an indoor sports facility previously council was able to give existing use rights as a land use consent was already attached to that address. The council said the process Star Turf went through can be complex.

Council planning team leader Fraser McNutt said other businesses wanting to move premises should go through the relevant planning framework.

"They should also check to see if any consents have been previously approved on site. Confirmation of existing use rights may be required for a number of reasons so a check with council's Planning Guidance Unit is essential."

Co-owner Sian Stevenson said when people found out the business would have to move sites, the community offered to help, from assisting with decorating requirements to building services in a bid to keep Star Turf's costs down. Many others have offered to help with cleaning, packing, and shifting.