FAQs

The aspiration of Ngāti Whakaue is to enable housing on this piece of land for Whakaue descendants. The type and number of houses is yet to be determined and further detail would be confirmed during the planning stages of the potential development. Any development would still need to go through the regular consenting process to ensure there are no adverse effects on neighbours and future residents.

This would depend on the final housing proposal.

The crematorium poses no adverse health effects to people and the significant area of vegetation between the crematorium and the part of the reserve proposed for housing would be retained and remain under council management.

Mitigating noise pollution would be considered during the design phase of the potential housing development. Waka Kotahi has also given preliminary approval for a housing development in this space.

Council is obligated to give back land to Ngāti Whakaue that is not being used for the specific purpose for which is was gifted for the establishment of the Rotorua township. The land was gifted for cemetery purposes but cannot be used as cemetery due to the ground conditions so should be given back to Ngāti Whakaue. The land could be retained by Council while that process was being undertaken.  

Changing the purpose of the reserve means the land would stay as a reserve under the Reserves Act with Rotorua Lakes Council as the Reserve Administering Body. Removing or revoking the status of the reserve means the land is no longer held as a reserve under the Reserves Act and would become private land owned by Pukeroa Ōruawhata Trust.

There are often engineering solutions that can be undertaken on sites to enable housing but these are not necessarily viable for other uses, eg as in this case, burials.

There is no current intention to use the balance of the reserve (between the area identified on the map and the current cemetery blocks) so it will be retained as green space. The vegetated area is a Significant Natural Area in the District Plan.