On the 21^st May 2025 Council voted to go into negotiations with the Upper Hutt Bowls Club for the use of the land along Maidstone Tce. We congratulate the Upper Hutt Bowling Club on council agreeing to move forward with your journey for a new bowling facility.

Concerns are still evident in the community and ultimately this is not about the Bowling Club or any other activity which may use the land. It’s about our council making financially prudent decisions which benefit our community as a whole.

It’s election year and if we as a community were worried about losing $1.5m with the deals that went on with The Mall.  Today was the start of council agreeing to lease over 11,000 sqm of land at Maidstone Tce for potentially $2,700 per year. This over the space of the lease agreement of 33 years that equates to $89,000 all up. With potentially no rates paid either.

It is stated that the Upper Hutt Bowling club intends to sell its freehold land in Exchange St for an estimated $5 – $5.5m which will fund the move and setup of the new facility. The Exchange St land has been slated to be sold to developers and for 40+ new dwellings, potentially without carparks to be built.

We understand that over that lease timeframe the amount paid for the lease will not change so in 33 years the Bowling club would be still paying $2700 per year. If this were commercial rates the revenue would be in the millions, approx. $2m per year which would be approx. $66m over the 33 year term. When we look at the effects on our citizens and our communities and take into account for every $640k saved it drops rates by 1%. You have to wonder if this was a financially prudent decision for our community.

The vote today went like this, 3 councillors voted against, 5 for and 2 were excluded due to conflict of interest.

The most scary part is, if the lease is finalised, the council will need to look for other areas within out city for industrial sites to go.. Government have stated that by 2051 there will need to be a significant increase in the industrial land required (additional 54 Hectares). Where is this land going to be found?

This is how our elected officials have made this decision. Have a look and see if you think the people in charge have made the decision you believe they should have and have they conducted themselves in the best interests of the city.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZYX7MbUof8

Here is the Report from council on the proposal and the submissions received – https://www.upperhutt.govt.nz/files/assets/public/v/1/your-council/meetings/2025/cycle-3/policy-agenda-20250521.pdf#page=5

A “thank you” to NZ Empowered for sending this article to The Upper Hutt Connection.

22/05/25