Tauranga's newest sportsfield development in Bethlehem is set to begin construction in the next financial year.

Parau Farms will be the only council-provided sportsfields in the area, with the park expected to be open to the public in 2020.

The Parau Farms sportsfields are expected to be open to the public in 2020.

Funded mostly by accrued development contributions, $10.4 million is to be included via the council's long term plan for stage one, with a further $1.6 million added to the project in 2018/19.

Following due diligence outcomes and details to determine the final budget, the deal will be sealed with the adoption of the 2015-25 long term plan.

Parau Farms is a 33-hectare area of land purchased by council in early 2000 for future sportsfield development.

Council's 2009 sportscode demand and supply analysis confirmed that additional sportsfields are required in area, and this was reconfirmed in a 2013 review.

The report included strategic context for this decision, providing detailed information on options for council to consider regarding the staging, development and timing of Parau Farms.

This ensures that Council is providing sufficient supply of sportsfields to cover projected demand over the next 10-15 years and provides the best outcome in terms of layout and function.

The provision, development and management of the existing and future active reserves network is decided through the council's Active Reserves Level of Service Policy 2012.

The policy determines requirements for the supply of active reserves and sportsfields, through a mixture of capacity-improving projects along with floodlighting, irrigation and drainage projects on existing sites.

Demand analysis from the main sports codes that use grass sportsfields - namely rugby, rugby league and football - was been undertaken in 2009 and updated in four years later.