Adoption of the Cromwell Racecourse Reserve Management Plan 2025 wrapped up five months of work.
Council parks officer planning and strategy Maria Burnett said the racecourse reserve was one of Central Otago’s most significant open spaces and had been long valued for its equestrian activities and community events.
"This plan now looks ahead at how those uses can continue while also enabling recreation to support future needs, including the proposed location for a sports hub."
The process for the plan had been a thorough one and 291 submissions were received during the public consultation, she said.
Central Otago Mayor Tamah Alley said she was pleased with the work that had been undertaken with the equine community and their aspirations for the reserve.
"I think that Cromwell has become a real hub for equine facilities and that it attracts a lot of riders and their families."
The draft plan to expand the racecourse into a multisport facility was first presented to the Cromwell Community Board in May, when the board approved the draft going out for public consultation.
Ms Burnett said the plan respected existing usage while enabling future development.
Short-term concepts showed space for four sports fields and associated facilities such as changing rooms. In the long term the four fields would become eight.
"A multisport indoor complex is also identified as a part of the vision for the reserve," she said.
Continued equestrian use at the racecourse reserve was supported by council alongside other recreational activities.
Public consultation ran for two months, finishing in July. The board heard oral submissions on August 19.
The August meeting had to be split in two to allow members of the community board time to digest and understand the 291 submissions and the 843-word report.
Feedback was incorporated into the draft, which the board recommended for adoption by the council last week.
