The A&P Society and Hastings District Council have this afternoon confirmed the sale of 40ha of the Tomoana Showgrounds site for $7.5m.

The Council approved the sale last week, subject to the Society members conducting a vote in which 66.6% of members in attendance at the meeting were required to vote in favour for the sale to go unconditional.

The A&P Society will retain ownership of the Tomoana Showgrounds until 31st March 2023. From 1st April 2023, circa 40ha of the Tomoana Showgrounds will move to Hastings District Council ownership and 2.8ha of the site will be subdivided and retained by the A&P Society.

President of the Hawke’s Bay A&P Society Simon Collin said: “In keeping with our 160-year old role as champions of our region’s crucial agricultural and pastoral sectors, we have negotiated rights that will ensure we can continue to hold all the iconic events that are a celebration of our region’s magnificent food and fibre industries.”

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the outcome was “truly fantastic for our community”.

“Council will immediately start the process to have the showgrounds vested as a reserve, which will protect it forever for the community. We are very much looking forward to completing that process and then preparing a Reserve Management Plan with the community. That plan will set out how we look after the Tomoana Showgrounds and create opportunities for more events and improve facilities.”

The sale of the Tomoana Showgrounds presents an exciting opportunity for the Hastings community and the connection with the A&P Society will remain strong with representation on the managing entity of the site.

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