Councillors vote down plans for new Petone Stadium

Plans for the development of a new sports stadium that would have been home to the Wellington Phoenix have been ended after a recent unanimous vote by Hutt City councillors to drop the proposal.

Public feedback had been overwhelmingly negative on the idea, which would have seen a 12,000-seat stadium built over half of the Petone Recreation Ground.

Loss of green space, loss of playing fields for local sports clubs, and lack of parking were the most common complaints.

Public support was one of the key conditions to move forward with the idea, and that was obviously lacking, Lower Hutt Mayor Ray Wallace told local media.

The Council received hundreds of annual plan submissions opposed to the arena, and hundreds also attended public meetings to discuss the concept.

Wellington Phoenix co-owner Gareth Morgan had proposed the new venue as an alternative base to Westpac Stadium for the club. 

25th March 2014 - NEW PETONE SPORTS STADIUM BACKED BY HUTT CITY COUNCIL