The spending - which would come from reserves, and not impact on rates - is indicated in the draft Central Otago District Council 2019-20 annual plan and CCB members will discuss the proposed budgets at their meeting on Tuesday.
The figures show $3.5 million budgeted for design work and $4.9 million for property and land purchases for projects arising from the Cromwell master plan.
Three options had been presented to Cromwell district residents last October and analysis of feedback on the master plan showed most respondents preferred growth focused within the existing Cromwell township. One of the key messages was to encourage a mix of users and activities in the Cromwell Mall, and to open the mall up to improve visibility and access and bring people in.
Council corporate services executive manager Bernard Murphy, who wrote a report to council about the annual plan spending, said the $3.5 million was for "high-level design work for all Cromwell master plan buildings and open-space development".
The $4.9 million was for property and land purchases relating to the master plan.
Some master plan options had suggested buying and demolishing some buildings in the Cromwell Mall, to open it up.
Mr Murphy said the $8.4 million would come from reserves accumulated from property sales. There is $14 million in total in Cromwell reserves accounts.Community board chairman Neil Gillespie said council staff and consultants had estimated the $8.4 million and board members were being presented with the draft figures at the same time as the public.
Mr Gillespie emphasised they were estimates only and subject to consultation, and urged residents to make submissions about the spending.
"At this stage that’s the best information we’ve got about the likely costs [of master plan projects].
"This gets it out there ... Now people will make submissions. This is precisely why we have an annual plan."
He said the $8.4 million represented "some big dollars ... but let’s be aware that we said at the outset the master plan process would raise issues that the community needs to decide.
"And here goes, these are the issues being raised".
When asked if he thought Cromwell residents would be surprised at the amount proposed, Mr Gillespie said: "It’s big dollars, so they might. But does it surprise me? [the amount proposed] - no".
The draft budgets also propose lifting CCB rates by 12.2%, totalling $310,000 in the district, partly due to increased depreciation from the Cromwell Big Fruit project.
CCB rates make up 9.7% of total Cromwell rates. So, for example, if a ratepayer paid $2000 a year in rates overall, the CCB rate would be $194 of that, and the 12.2% increase would be only on the $194.
District ward and district-wide rates for Central Otago have not yet been struck or publicised.
