Stand’s fate still unclear

An engineering report on whether the TSB East Stand at Yarrow Stadium will need to be upgraded or demolished is now unlikely to be completed until late March.

The report has been commissioned by the New Plymouth District Council after an earthquake risk assessment in late 2017 classified the 3300 seat stand off limits to the public.

Initially it was estimated the report would be finished and peer reviewed by the end of January.

However following a Taranaki Regional Council, TRC, executive audit and risk committee meeting on Monday, corporate services director Mike Nield said an engineering report on whether the stand would need to be strengthened, or taken down was expected to be completed in ‘‘four to six weeks.’’

The report would also be peer reviewed, he said.

Yarrow Stadium is owned by TRC, administered by the Taranaki Stadium Trust, and operated by New Plymouth District Council, NPDC, as an event venue.

It has hosted All Blacks tests, super rugby fixtures and Ranfurly Shield matches. The stand is also the base for the Taranaki Bulls.

Nield told the committee the half yearly report of the stadium could be split into two - the success of the events hosted at the venue in 2017, including an All Black test match, and the uncertainty of the infrastructure as a result of seismic testing.

Planning a budget for the venue during the next three years was ‘‘tricky’’ given the unknown details on how much work would be needed to bring the stand up to earthquake strength standards, he said.

A 10 year asset management plan of the stadium was ‘‘on hold’’ until it was known how much was needed to fix the stand.

The nearby Star Gym has been nominated as a potential alternative base for the Taranaki Rugby Union should the East Stand need repair work or demolition.