Fire service lease extensions get green light

07 June 2023

A proposal to extend the leases at four FENZ sites in the Far North and transfer the ownership of assets at these sites has been approved by the council.

A proposal to provide Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) with long-term leases at four council-administered sites was approved at a council meeting last week.

The council granted FENZ leases of 30-years (15-year plus 15-year) over land they currently occupy at:

3985 State Highway 1, Northern Aupōuri, Pukenui
699 Rangiputa Road, Karikari Peninsula
721 Taupō Bay Road, Taupō Bay
1089 Broadwood Road, Broadwood.

The proposal to council noted that FENZ had made significant capital investment in all four sites. Increasing the lease term of each site to 30 years enables FENZ to better plan and invest in services and gain greater certainty that investment in its facilities will benefit each community long term. Any existing arrangements with community groups that involve sharing space, access and occupancy will continue.

The council also agreed to transfer ownership of assets at these sites to FENZ. The assets include buildings and other improvements. The transfer means that council is no longer responsible for building maintenance or capital expenditure at the sites, e.g. re-roofing, rewiring, or recladding.

A change of classification over a portion of reserve land currently occupied by FENZ at Rangiputa Road was required to grant the proposal there. Approval was granted for a part of the site (1600 sqm) to change from a Recreation Reserve classification to a Local Purpose Reserve (community buildings) classification. This will allow FENZ to construct buildings, carparks, and other facilities as required. The remainder of the Karikari site will continue to be held for recreation purposes.

Community consultation on the proposals ran for four weeks from the end of January. Fifteen submissions were received, 13 were in support of the proposals. Submissions were presented to each community board – Te Hiku, Kaikohe-Hokianga and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa – which then made recommendations to the council.

The council will retain ownership of the land to provide future generations of ratepayers with options for alternative uses of the sites in the future.