Taranaki Regional Council announces team to rebuild New Plymouth’s Yarrow Stadium

Taranaki Regional Council has announced the design and build team that will undertake the main part of the redevelopment of New Plymouth’s Yarrow Stadium.

A consortium led by GHD Woodhead Creative Spaces and New Plymouth-based architects Boon has been awarded the contract to design the new East Stand at the earthquake-damaged venue.

The architects will be supported by Beca (structural and civil engineering), Aurecon (mechanical and electrical services) and Holmes (fire services).

The Council, which owns the venue, said additional service contracts for the overall $50 million project will be confirmed shortly.

With construction scheduled to begin towards the end of March 2022, the new structure will replace the current East Stand, which was closed in 2018 due to being earthquake-prone and is currently being demolished.

With the design and build of the new East Stand the largest single component of the redevelopment, Taranaki Regional Council Chairperson, David MacLeod stated “getting the design of the new stand underway is a big milestone and having a strong team on board is critical to the successful delivery of the project.

“The design will make the new East Stand more usable, more often, by more people because flexible use spaces are being built into the new stand.”

Features of the new East Stand will include amenities designed in a way that will allow outer field users to access changing rooms without having to open up the entire facility.

Home of Super Rugby’s Chiefs until the 2016 Kaikōura earthquake left both the East and West Stands unsafe to use, Yarrow Stadium will partially re-open next year after the repaired of its West Stand. However, the new East Stand will not be available until late 2024.

The remodelling will ensure the venue is safe and suits a broader range of regional and community sports while continuing to be the premier regional venue for top-level sport in the Taranaki region.

It will also include the fitting of new LED floodlighting and a hybrid turf pitch

Following local controversy about the cost of the redevelopment of the venue, all parties emphasise that it will not cost more than $50 million.

Here, McLeod advise “we acknowledge that constraints in the building sector may put pressure on that budget, but it is our intention to stay within the $50 million approved and agreed by ratepayers.

“The project has been designed to focus on the core components of the stands, field and lighting, with enhancements to surrounding areas to be considered once we have greater certainty on final costs.”

In June, Taranaki Regional Council Corporate Services Director and Yarrow Stadium trustee, Mike Nield was reported saying the Council “would … not spend a cent more than $50m on the overall project.”

“So if the East Stand ends up costing more than we budgeted, then we've got mechanisms to allow us to tweak the rest of the project to stay within budget.

“There are parts of the project that can be delayed to future years. New car parking, new toilet facilities those sorts of things and existing things can be made to last a little bit longer.”

Image: Demolition has started on the East Stand at Yarrow Stadium. Credit: Taranaki Regional Council.