Dunedin chasing Govt cash

Architecture Van Brandenburg's proposal for development of the Steamer Basin area. PHOTO:...
Architecture Van Brandenburg's proposal for development of the Steamer Basin area. PHOTO: ANIMATION RESEARCH
Dunedin could be in line for a $50million cash injection - and maybe significantly more - from the Government to help pay for the development of the city's waterfront.

But Mayor Dave Cull says funding support from the Government's $3billion Provincial Growth Fund would likely depend on the city having "some skin in the game" itself.

Councillors will begin deliberating the Dunedin City Council's 10-year plan next week, which will include deciding whether to build a bridge to open up waterfront development.

Options will include the $20million architectural bridge proposed by Damien van Brandenburg or a cheaper $10million structure.

A staff report to be considered next week warns the downsides of a cheaper bridge include a risk "the Government may be less inclined to provide up to $50million" for other waterfront work.

Mr Cull confirmed yesterday the "indicative" figure - as well as higher sums - had been discussed in meetings between the council and growth fund officials.

"Numbers below and well above that have been mentioned.

"Until we develop a business case - and we are intending to do that - we have no idea of the quantum, except it will be large.

"You usually don't get nice surprises with these things. Usually the numbers go up."

Government funding, if approved, would require Cabinet sign-off, but would cover the cost of improvements to harbourside sea walls, earthworks and other work to ready the area for development, he said.

However, there was an expectation any funding depended on a degree of community contribution towards any project as well, Mr Cull said.

Just paying for "a little piddly bridge" to the waterfront would not cut it, Mr Cull believed.

"That's not very convincing."

Mr Cull supported the option of a more expensive bridge, but with scope for "tweaks" in the design.

Council chief executive Sue Bidrose said fund officials were aware of the sum being discussed, "and that doesn't seem to have fazed them".

"There is some excitement in Wellington about this project."

A spokeswoman for Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones said it was too soon to "speculate on dollar figures", or whether funding would be approved, before a proposal was formally assessed by officials.

Mr Jones has previously said he was "quite overwhelmed" by the waterfront plan, which "represents, in my view, ushering in a whole new phase, or epoch, of Dunedin".

"I've never seen anything in any other provincial city approaching the scale of what was depicted to me."

The council is still working on a governance mechanism to guide waterfront development in the city and expects to finalise a business case, followed by a funding application, by September.

 

 

Comments

I think Dunedins share of the development fund should be 5 - 10%, $150 to $300 million. So for once I agree with Mr Cull, twenty mill for a bridge doesn't cut it.
But we once again at the mercy of the DCC. Lets hope this time council can actually make some decisions and got on with it. Not like the 2 year delay to foster real stategies after winning the gigacity program.

 

Advertisement