New Taupo District Council building

Council building background

In 2017, we were required to vacate our former administration building at 72 Lake Terrace due to a number of health and safety issues.

During the development of the Annual Plan 2017/18, we consulted with the community on a number of different options, from refurbishment to a new build, with the preferred option at that time being to build a new building at the Lake Terrace site. However, following feedback from the community, the decision was made to build a new building on a site to be determined. It was also decided to investigate lease options as an alternative to self-funding a new building.

The majority of staff relocated to five leased sites in the Taupō town centre. Investigations continued into potential sites and funding options. Calls for expressions of interest from parties who may have been interested in leasing a building, site - or both - were made and there were five responses. All were discounted during a site selection process for various reasons.

Instead, the council decided to investigate the development of the area fronting on to Story Place near the Great Lake Centre and the library for the new building as its preferred option at that time. The other options were to build on the Tūwharetoa Street car park (61 and 67) or build on the former site at 72 Lake Terrace. The Lake Terrace building has been demolished.

In February 2018, we approved the development of a masterplan for the area by the Great Lake Centre. A sum of $15.7 million for a new council administration building was included in the Long-term Plan 2018-2028 as a placeholder while investigations took place. The masterplan was developed for Tongariro Domain as the council could see a real opportunity to create a focal point for the community by including new cultural, arts and heritage facilities to replace Taupō Museum. There were four different options of the masterplan developed. Following community consultation, one of those options was chosen for further refinement.

The final masterplan was presented to the council in December 2018. Feasibility studies were undertaken on the Tūwharetoa Street and Lake Terrace sites and a business case developed to compare the options. Following consideration of the options, the council did not choose the Tongariro Domain. And instead chose to construct a building on the Tūwharetoa Street site as its preferred option.

In April 2019 community feedback was sought on four options for a new council administration building (the options being the Tūwharetoa Street site, the former site at 72 Lake Terrace, on Tongariro Domain as part of a cultural precinct, or to lease), as well as two options on the future of the museum, as part of a proposed amendment to the council’s 2018-28 Long-term Plan. More than 600 written submissions were received during the consultation period.

In June 2019, council confirmed its preferred option to build its new administration building at 61-67 Tuwharetoa Street and confirmed a Taupō Museum and Art Gallery will be built on Tongariro Domain to create a ‘cultural heart’.