125 car parks disappearing at site for new ACC building

Parking meters will soon be removed at Dunedin’s Dowling St car park, which is closing. A four...
Parking meters will soon be removed at Dunedin’s Dowling St car park, which is closing. A four-storey office building for ACC will be built there. PHOTO: GREGOR RICHARDSON
Ngai Tahu Property will carry out investigatory works at the Dowling St property it is buying, in Dunedin, in the coming weeks before the start of construction of new Accident Compensation Corporation offices there.

Ngai Tahu takes over ownership of the Dowling St car park from the Dunedin City Council on August 20 and ground works for the four-storey building are expected to begin before the end of the year.

The car park, providing 125 parks in the central city, is to close and meters will be removed.

The Accident Compensation Corporation agreed to lease the site from Ngai Tahu for 20 years and the office will bring together a work force of up to 650 people from four sites.

It is expected to be completed in 2024.

About 100 workers could be on site during construction.

A deal was announced between Ngai Tahu and ACC at the end of last year.

Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins said at the time the offices would be a better use of the space than car parking.

It had long been earmarked by the council as a site for future development.

The council did not have specific plans for replacing the lost parks at Dowling St.

ACC has said the building will be environmentally friendly and more accessible and the site could have 80 bicycle parks.

grant.miller@odt.co.nz

Comments

DCC's and the greens next great development idea: A series of ski tow type facilities to move pesioners on thier bikes up Stuart and Hight Streets. Perfectly sensible idea, just like ignoringing the need for inner city parking.

Well off pensioners have cars. Others mobility scooters or take the bus. I miss Highet Street.

 

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