'Once in a generation' chance to redesign Canterbury town

Woodend residents are being encouraged to reimagine what their town centre will look like after the bypass opens.

Planning is under way for the much-anticipated bypass on State Highway 1 in Canterbury.

Woodend-Sefton Community Board deputy chairperson Mark Paterson said now is a good time for residents to start thinking about the future of the town.

Once the Woodend Bypass opens, Woodend’s Main Road will no longer be State Highway 1 and it will revert to a council road.

‘‘What do we want Woodend to look like? It can be whatever we want it to look like and it doesn’t have to be like Williams Street (Kaiapoi) or High Street (Rangiora),’’ Paterson said.

‘‘Do we still have roundabouts or traffic lights? We can design it however we want to. It is a chance to re-imagine the Woodend town centre.

‘‘There are endless options.’’

Paterson said there have been suggestions of linking the shopping centre car park at Woodend Tavern with the Woodend Community Centre car park, to open it up more.

He hopes Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency will come to the party and invest in the road before handing it over to the council.

Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey said the opening of the bypass is expected to reduce traffic volumes from 29,000 vehicle movements a day to around 9000.

This will make it easier to slow down traffic and improve access to Main Road businesses.

‘‘For local residents, this is a once in a generation opportunity to redesign the Woodend town centre,’’ Doocey said.

There have been fears expressed in the past that diverting traffic from Main Road could hurt local businesses, but at least two business owners have been busy expanding their sites and are optimistic about the future.

Woodend Bakery owner Serey Chum recently doubled his bakery area and now employs 20 staff onsite, supplying baked goods to his outlets in Christchurch and the Selwyn district.

He took over the Woodend Bakery in 2016, after he was forced to close his bakery in New Brighton due to damage from the February 2011 earthquake.

Chum said he is looking at setting up a picnic table outside his bakery and making it a more attractive area to stop.

Canterbury Honda is also doubling its footprint, adding extra space for both the workshop and the showroom.

Owner Ted Marris said he believes the bypass will be good for his business.

‘‘People don’t drive through Woodend and randomly stop at a motorbike shop. We are a destination.

‘‘As long as farmers and people can get in and out through Woodend easily, it will be good for business.’’

Marris said he would like to see some effort made to beautify the main street by planting some trees and making it easier for people to access local businesses.

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air