Thursday 19 December 2013

Council seeks members for New Brighton group

Christchurch City Council is calling for expressions of interest in a new community-led group to assist with the completion of a master plan for the recovery of New Brighton.

The New Brighton Centre Community Advisory Group will be chaired by a member of the Burwood/Pegasus Community Board and its work will help finalise the Draft New Brighton Centre Master Plan.

“We expect there to be strong interest from the various groups and organisations that have already been involved in the development of the Draft Master Plan as well as others who represent the local community,” says Burwood/Pegasus Community Board Chairperson Andrea Cummings.

A focus for the Community Advisory Group will be on public and private initiatives for revitalising the commercial centre of New Brighton and options for funding these initiatives, so these can be incorporated into the Draft Master Plan, says the Council’s Urban Design and Regeneration Unit Manager Carolyn Ingles.

“The new process takes into account the need for further collaboration with residents and community groups and will incorporate work underway by the New Brighton Business and Land Owners’ Association and other organisations.”

Adverts seeking expressions of interest to sit on the group will be placed in local media. The expressions of interest will be considered by the Burwood/Pegasus Community Board.

It is expected the new group will be established by March 2014 with workshops to be held in April to discuss the Draft Master Plan.

Andrea Cummings sees the group as being a great way to provide further community input into the Draft Master Plan.

“This new approach to developing the Draft Master Plan is designed to suit the needs of the New Brighton community and the inclusion of the new group is based on the successful community-led approach that was used in Sumner with the Joint Advisory Group.”

The Council agreed to the establishment of the New Brighton Centre Community Advisory Group at its meeting on 12 December.
The Council has also agreed a process for completing the Draft New Brighton Centre Master Plan. The process includes a series of workshops and any amendments to the Draft Master Plan being reported to the Burwood/Pegasus Community Board and the final version adopted by the Council.

Upcoming Transitional Project for Brighton Mall

Council officers are working with local organisations and individuals to bring colour to the pedestrian area of Brighton Mall. This is a transitional project to encourage movement through the Mall, between the library/pier and shops west of Oram Avenue. Details are still being finalised and work is expected to begin early in 2014.

About New Brighton Centre Master Plan
The Council approved the development of a master plan to support the recovery and rebuild of New Brighton’s commercial centre in April 2012.
To inform the work on the Draft Plan, the Council held community workshops, undertook formal consultation and worked with various business and community groups and organisations. Consultation on the Draft Master Plan took place from 17 December – 18 February 2013 with more than 300 submissions received. A large number of the submissions to the Draft Master Plan focused upon the Water Park concept, a private initiative.

Council requested a report from staff setting out the process and steps required to potentially integrate the Water Park concept and the Master Plan.
Two firms with expertise in aquatic facilities, especially water parks, and in revitalisation of commercial centres were engaged to complete this work. Their findings, reported to Council in October 2013, were that the proposed Water Park would draw a large number of visitors and would have economic benefits of locating a number of facilities within the one complex. However, it would also likely compete directly with the proposed Metro Sports Centre in the Central City, would require a significant area of land not currently available in the New Brighton Centre and would result in a concentration of visitors at one facility rather than spreading visits throughout the centre. The revitalisation experts advise that regeneration of New Brighton would be better achieved through a variety of smaller scale public and private improvements spread around the centre.

To find out more about the Draft Master Plan and its development, go to www.ccc.govt.nz/suburbancentres

Note: The Council has budgeted $30.5 million to develop a new Eastern Recreation and Sports Facility in the eastern suburbs. It will provide a similar resource to Jellie Park. The Council funding will be supplemented by $6.5 million from the Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust for water attractions such as hydro slides and rides. A report on possible locations for the facility is being prepared for the Council to consider.

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