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Dunedin city councillors have pressed the "go button" on the $20million architecturally designed bridge they say will be a game-changer for the city.

The vote yesterday was unanimous, and so popular among councillors they clapped themselves when voting was done.

The news overjoyed Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor, who helped develop the wider vision for the city's Steamer Basin.

"You've made my day," he said when told late yesterday.

The bridge, the most expensive option to cross the railway lines by the Chinese Garden, is expected to be the spark that will light the Architecture Van Brandenburg proposal for development of the Steamer Basin area.

The vote means the money for the bridge will be included in the city's 10-year plan, then refined following community feedback and engineering feasibility work.

Mayor Dave Cull said he hoped the council could begin planning "as soon as possible".

Submissions on the bridge showed 489 supported a $20million structure, 476 a $10million bridge and 404 no bridge at all.

Of postcard-style submissions sent to the council, 504 wanted the $20million bridge, 179 the $10million option and 94 no bridge.

A report to yesterday's 10-year plan deliberations said it was anticipated the NZ Transport Agency would contribute $5.5million.

The council also has its eye on the Government's $3billion provincial growth fund.

Cr David Benson-Pope said during debate the waterfront was "fallow, and being demolished as we speak".

Access across the railway line had always been an issue that could not be surmounted when considering redeveloping the area.

"If we don't commit to the bridge, nothing is going to happen over there in the short term."

The Dunedin harbour bridge and how it would sit in the proposed Steamer Basin redevelopment....
The Dunedin harbour bridge and how it would sit in the proposed Steamer Basin redevelopment. IMAGE: ANIMATION RESEARCH

Cr Lee Vandervis said the one question for him was whether Dunedin wanted its wharf developed.

In most developed cities the most valuable property was by the waterfront, but in Dunedin that was not the case.

"Do we want to remain the only city with an undeveloped waterfront?"

Cr Damian Newell said once confusion over the council's input into the project was explained, almost all people he had spoken to supported the idea.

"This is our chance to hit the go button."

Cr Kate Wilson said $20million was "a small amount of money for something that will grow the value base of the city."

"As nervous as I am about it, I'm also very excited," Cr Wilson said.

"I'll be voting yes."

Deputy Mayor Chris Staynes said if the city failed to go ahead with the plan it would also be failing in its governance of the city.

Cr Rachel Elder said the bridge was "very exciting" and a catalyst for growth and development.

"We invest and build a bridge and the rest will come."

Mr Cull said there was a crystallised vision for the waterfront and partners were interested in investing.

"We need to back the vision, we need to back our community, and we need to back our community's future."

Mr Taylor described the decision as one of the most important the council had to make.

It gave backers a solid base to apply for government funding.

People across New Zealand were asking him how Dunedin had been able to come together on the project in such a short time.

"We did get a reputation for whingeing and moaning, now everybody's ... saying `these guys are serious'."

david.loughrey@odt.co.nz

Comments

Quoting Mayor Cull: ``We need to back the vision, we need to back our community, and we need to back our community's future.'' Just rhetoric of the 'there is no alternative' variety. Implies anyone not in favour of spending $20 million on something not essential demonstrates disloyalty to Dunedin. Is probably going to be called 'a hater', negative and a 'spoiler', terms all familiar to those who opposed the Dunedin Stadium.
And an implied comment from Ian Taylor: "People across New Zealand were asking him how Dunedin had been able to come together on the project in such a short time." My answer is that the proposal has been 'pushed through' in excessive haste by those who know how to 'push things through' at council level. Nicely timed to come into the public domain just before the ten year plan decisions. And nor does the tally of the submissions reported here indicate 100 percent approval for spending 200 million dollars, more like only one third of submitters in favour. Which means two thirds opposed. Ratepayers beware! The enthusiasm of the movers and shakers here is for spending other people's money, not their own.

The Bridge looks nice where are the other options? Under the public information act when were the plans drafted, this is totally wrong of the Council. the end Result was drafted and the story has been wrote backwards to fit what Council wants, All these flash buildings, who is going to occupy them? Let me think the Council? Who will pay rent for them at what cost, who will be able to afford the rent. Dunedin needs to protest about this and jet on the news.

Nothing is going to happen over there even if they build a bridge, it's a dump you would think they could figure this out seeing nobody lives there and there's a good reason for that, it's the coldest hole in Dunedin.

Two thirds in favour actually Diane.
Bouldor, no-one lives there because it's an industrial area.

You were all given plenty of notice about making submissions on the ten year plan. It was in the newspaper, on Facebook, on news websites, in your mailbox and so on. If you didn't submit yay or nay for it, it is your own fault. :)

 

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