Stadium Taranaki West Stand Strengthening

Stadium Taranaki, formerly known as Yarrow Stadium, is a cornerstone sporting venue for New Plymouth and the wider Taranaki region. The West Stand was closed in 2018 after being identified as earthquake-prone. Strengthening the stand was a critical step in restoring public access, improving safety, and ensuring the long-term resilience of the stadium for professional sport and major community events.

Clelands Construction was engaged by Taranaki Regional Council as principal contractor for the West Stand strengthening works. Our role focused on delivering a complex seismic upgrade that would meet modern performance standards while supporting the broader staged redevelopment of the stadium.

Clelands Construction have been an integral component and partner in the successful repair and rebuild project at Yarrow Stadium, New Plymouth. This is a complex $80m project spread over a number of years. Throughout this process they have been highly professional, cognisant of the pressures on the Council, and added-value to the delivered solutions. I would recommend Clelands for any future project.
Mike Nield, Director-Corporate Services at Taranaki Regional Council
Type
Commercial
Function
Sports Stadium
Construction Date
2022
Location
New Plymouth
The strengthened West Stand reopened in 2022 and now meets current seismic and safety standards. The project has restored confidence in the venue and returned a key piece of regional sporting infrastructure to full use. The successful reopening marked an important milestone in the wider Stadium Taranaki redevelopment and reinforced the stadium’s role as a proud gathering place for the Taranaki community.

Process

The project required careful planning and sequencing to address both structural and geotechnical challenges. All seating and bleachers were removed to allow access to the underlying structure. Significant ground improvement works were undertaken, including the installation of deep stabilisation piles to strengthen the embankment supporting the stand. New structural steel elements and foundation tie-backs were installed to improve seismic performance. Once strengthening works were complete, seating was reinstated and a new roof installed to enhance durability and spectator comfort.

Throughout the project, Clelands worked collaboratively with the client, designers, and specialist subcontractors, maintaining a strong focus on safety, buildability, and cost transparency.

As principal contractor, they have assisted us in the repair of the West Stand, the replacement of the main turf on the No.1 field, the replacement of the lighting and in the demolition of the old East Stand and then the design and build of the new East Stand.
Mike Nield, Director-Corporate Services at Taranaki Regional Council
The redevelopment of Stadium Taranaki represents a long-term investment in regional sport, delivering strengthened infrastructure, renewed facilities, and a venue the Taranaki community can confidently gather around once again.