A Hearings Panel has recommended to Waikato District Council's Infrastructure Committee to reclassify part of the Pookeno Domain from Recreation Reserve to Local Purpose (community centre) Reserve.
The panel also recommended to the committee to grant a 30-year lease of part of the reserve to Te Hau Kainga Me Nga Mana Whenua O Pokeno Incorporated for the purposes of establishing an urban marae.
The hearings followed a consultation period that attracted 457 submissions, of which 14 submitted in person.
About half of the submitters live in Pookeno and about three-quarters of all submissions came from the Waikato district.
Of all submissions, 72% supported the proposed reclassification of the Pokeno Domain to Local Purpose Reserve (community centre), while 73% supported the proposed lease of land at the Pokeno Domain to Te Hau Kainga Me Nga Mana Whenua O Pokeno.
Council thanks the community for taking part in the consultation.
A decision on the recommendations will now be made at Council's Infrastructure Committee Meeting in February.
