An aspect of Dunedin considered its worst "by quite a margin" - the look and feel of South Dunedin - is about to get a $700,000 makeover.
The Dunedin City Council planning and environment committee this week agreed to a final South Dunedin retail centre revitalisation plan, part of extensive work done by the council's city development department in the last few years.
A report to the committee from urban design special projects manager Emma O'Neill said the plan consisted of improvements in King Edward St around Hillside Rd, Lorne St, Carey Ave and McBride St.
The work follows two years of consultation, and includes projects already completed involving a makeover of Lorne St with a new children's play area, street furniture and trees, and a one-off $50,000 fund building owners used for cleaning and painting facades, and maintaining verandas.
Ms O'Neill told the committee during public feedback, the look and feel of the South Dunedin retail area was noted as the "single worst" aspect of the city.
Her report said the plan had been reduced, because of concerns about the impact of the plan on parking.
Rather than the loss of 26 parks, the final plan meant there would be 11 fewer.
That meant physical works were proposed for four rather than nine locations, and new footpath "build-outs" were reduced from six to two.
Ms O'Neill said yesterday the council would lead on some actions but not all.
Some actions were completed, for instance the Lorne St park; some were under way, like the shop exhibitions; and the feasibility of some actions were still being negotiated.
The rail bridge painting was an example. If it went ahead, the bridge would be painted with a "South Dunedin" sign, and its pillars given a design that would highlight the industrial heritage of the area.
Ms O'Neill said the footpath build-outs had been considered by council traffic staff, and approved.
"A cross-departmental team has developed these capital actions together, including traffic engineers, transportation planners and urban designers," she said.
The final design of the capital works was undertaken in consultation with the adjacent businesses and landowners.
The plan would be introduced on the internet, allowing it to updated and people to be kept up to date with what was being done.
There were some concerns at the meeting about the plan, with Cr Syd Brown suggesting it may not have a high level of "buy-in" from retailers.
Cr Neil Collins said there was a lot of street furniture in an area that could be "very lonely" at times.
But the committee approved it, subject to it meeting requirements of the council's strategic cycle network.
Cr John Bezett, who before electoral changes stood in the South Dunedin ward, said: "It's really fantastic we're on our way."
What's in store
South Dunedin makeover (to begin mid-next year):
• New paving, bins, cycle racks and lighting.
• New seating and plantings.
• Street furniture using timber from rail operations.
• Revised parking layout.
• Art exhibitions in vacant shops.
• Screens on the edge of footpaths to create a barrier from traffic.
• King Edward St rail bridge crossing repainted.
Cost
• City Development budget: $579,000
• Transport Operations budget: $130,000
• Annual maintenance:$6300
• Total: $715,300
