Lottery Grant For Eden Park

Lottery funding will go into the redevelopment of Auckland's Eden Park, Lottery Grant's Board Chairman and Internal Affairs Minister Jack Elder announced today.

The Grants Board's Lottery Community Facilities Committee has approved a grant of $225,000 towards the project which includes the building of a new stand, the upgrade of two existing stands and the provision of floodlights, he said.

"The Committee has also referred the funding request onto the Board's major projects committee, Lottery General, for possible additional funding because of the national and regional significance of the project."

Lottery General next meets in February.

Mr Elder said the Lottery Community Facilities Committee was aware of The Eden Park Neighbours' Association's opposition to the floodlighting component of the development which will enable night sport.

"The Committee considered correspondence from members of the Neighbours' Association before deciding on the grant, but was mindful of the fact the proposal had gone through a rigorous consent process.

"As I understand it, the floodlighting proposal first went to a Council hearing held by three independent commissioners who granted resource consent. This consent was appealed by the Neighbours' Association, and was then forwarded to an Environment Court which also found in favour of Eden Park."

It was the Committee's view resource consent hearings exist to look into and take account of issues such as that raised by the Neighbours' Association, Mr Elder said.