It's been top of the wish list in Welcome Bay for a long time, and it may be just a little closer.

Three Tauranga City Council-owned sites – Waipuna Park, Waitaha Reserve and Owens Park – have all been earmarked as viable options for a supermarket development and will be up for discussion next week.

Suitable privately-owned land for such a development is very limited in the Welcome Bay, which has prompted council to make a strategic assessment of its own land.

Tauranga city councillors will meet next week to discuss the merits of all three council sites.

'Welcome Bay has expressed a strong desire to attract a supermarket to the area” says city development manager Dean Williams.

Waipuna Park.

And to support the idea the council's been assessing its own open-spaces in the suburb.

Councillors on the community and culture committee will be presented with the findings from a preliminary assessment at a meeting next Tuesday where they'll decide whether to open community consultation.

If they decide to proceed, council will start talks with the Welcome Bay community to get feedback on whether the development of a supermarket on a council-owned site is supported. It will also find out which of the three council sites the community prefers.

'This project has been driven by the community's need for a supermarket yet we need to ascertain whether the community is willing to use current open space to accommodate the development, and if so, whether there is a preferred location” says Dean.

'It's important there's no loss of service to any existing community or sports facility as a result of the project.”

Owens Park.