Is it eye catching or is it an eyesore? You get a glimpse of it driving through The Lakes or down the Kaimai Range, a large green dome standing prominent atop a hill.

It's a new water reservoir for Pyes Pa with geodesic domed roof.

Retired Penetaka Heights resident Wayne Keen says the new development is an eyesore. 'Prior to 2010 the plan was for it to be completely submerged but sometime after that the plan changed.”

When SunLive visited the site, the reservoir sits atop a hill and is surrounded by a security fence, plantings and a retaining wall, and appears to be a modern take on the standard large concrete tank reservoir.

But according to Wayne the structure has to rise another 1.5 metres in height above what we see in the SunLive picture.

'The tank has changed in design as it now has a geodesic dome type roof, which makes it stick up even higher,” says Wayne. 'Why didn't they go with a flat type roof?”

Wayne says although he can't see the reservoir from his place, but certainly everyone around him will.

'It's in your face.” And Wayne doesn't like it. He's tried to talk to locals, but many are still moving into the new subdivision and he hasn't had a chance to talk to them.

Wayne had a council member out at the site to take a look. But he claims he was told it is what it is and nothing much can be done.

Peter Bahrs of Tauranga City Council's water services says all possible measures to soften the visual impact of the reservoir have been taken.

'The reservoir is partly sunken to shield it from view, and we've planted trees that when mature, will provide further screening.”