Return of city cable car a step closer

The consents are in, the rails have arrived and the first tangible sign of the return of the High St cable car has appeared in Mornington.

The appearance of rails and a container at Mornington Park follow the awarding of a resource consent for the project last week.

Dunedin Heritage Light Rail Trust spokesman Neville Jemmett said the next step in the work would be safety fencing that would be put in place today.

A digger would arrive within the next week to prepare the ground for a concrete slab that would be the foundation for an interim cable car building set to house three cars.

The project so far had cost about $60,000.

Mr Jemmett said he expected the building to be complete early next month. Cable cars would be sent from Ferrymead Heritage Park, in Christchurch, after that, and then a proper opening held.

The project is part of a longer goal to build a permanent two-storey museum which would cover a larger footprint and one day act as the terminus for a re-established cable car route up High St from the Exchange.

The trust has said the project could be one of the top tourist attractions in Dunedin.

The cost of the whole project, as per the most recent estimate in 2012, is $19million, though Mr Jemmett said that figure would ''keep rising''.

Mr Jemmett was clearly pleased the project, which has hit delays through the consent process, was finally beginning.

Cable car track - which was a costly item - had been donated by Ferrymead Heritage Park.

The track had been removed from central Christchurch after the 2011 earthquake.

The consent for the 10.3m by 5.9m building noted it would have 6.8m lengths of track to allow the cable cars to be pushed out and put on public display.

The building was an interim structure, intended to be in place to house the cable cars only while the trust sought to re-establish the route to Mornington.

The trust had a five-year lease at the park, with two terms of renewal available.

Mr Jemmett said the beginning of the project was ''a godsend'' for the trust, as it sought funds for the next stage.

It would show potential funders, such as community trusts and lottery boards, it meant business as it raised $3.5million to $4million for the permanent building.