New Focus For City Streets Stage 2

Wachner Place could be dramatically changed under the next stage of the City Streets development, and the public will be consulted on the new design.

The Finance and Projects Committee met yesterday to discuss many of the big projects happening around the city, and to make more firm commitments around those.

Council’s manager of strategic asset planning Russell Pearson told the committee, that there has been lots of discussion around what next with the City Streets Stage 2.

Mayor Nobby Clark was firm in his understanding that the Kelvin Precinct and Esk St East “had been politely paused”, while the focus was on Esk Street (and Wachner Place) around the new Distinction Hotel.

Local businessman Geoff Thomson hopes to have his new 4.5 star hotel open by October 2024, and Clark told the committee he was even committed to putting some money into the Wachner Place redevelopment.

He said it was important to work with local developers on these city streets upgrades, and that the public should be consulted early on.

“What we don’t want to happen is a construction site still in place when that hotel opens,” Clark said.

Russell said in his report, considering the request of the developer, the key issue of Wachner Place (primarily limited access and use) will need to be addressed.

“This element will take some time to engage and hear the community views on what is needed or required for Wachner Place.”

He said a significant learning from Stage 1 has been that the time to develop good design, then taking this through to enough detail to be able to build efficiently is usually underestimated.  “To fast track these processes brings risk and likelihood of higher costs.”

But the report noted that Esk Street West is seen as less complex in integrating the project with adjacent developments than Esk or Don.