Mosgiel pool planning starts

PLANNING is under way as Mosgiel’s longawaited new pool moves another a step closer.

The Dunedin City Council and the Taieri Community Facilities Trust are working to decide the pool’s size, specifications and its exact location within Memorial Park.

A final design is expected to be completed before the end of 2019 and construction finished by June 2021.

To help with the delivery of the project, the council is proposing to designate Memorial Park, Memorial Gardens and Peter Johnstone Park for community and recreational purposes.

A report prepared by council planning and partnership manager Rachel Eaton will be presented to councillors at a committee meeting next week.

A new designation allowed the council to progress any developments or upgrades inside the area, including the pool, without needing further planning approval, Ms Easton said.

Council staff were drafting the conditions of the designation to manage any potential effects on surrounding neighbours and the community, such as access requirements and the visual and design quality of any new buildings, she said.

There would be a public consultation process and people would be able to make a submission on the proposal.

An information session is being planned for the end of August.

In May the council voted to to contribute $10.8 million towards the new pool if the trust was able to raise a minimum of $3.2 million.

So far the trust has raised about $2.9 million but hoped to raise about $5 million so a substantial new pool could be built.