13 July 2005
Vision for Dunedin Harbourside Out For Consultation
Dunedin (13 July, 2005) – The Dunedin City Council and Chalmers Properties Limited today unveiled a vision of what the
harbourside might look like in 50 years time. It identifies opportunities for revitalising the harbourside and reconnect
it to the central city.
A consultation document has been launched which explains the harbourside vision and seeks public feedback on it. That
vision aims to:
Connect the city to the harbour Provide public access to the harbour edge and enhance harbourside amenities Enhance the
character and visual amenity of the area Enable better use of land Plan for economic growth Provide for housing choice
Key elements include:
Creating new public amenity spaces on the waterfront Encouraging greater recreational and tourist use of the harbour
Developing new business opportunities Enabling the transformation of the wharf-sheds and Fryatt Street area through
encouraging cafes, bars, recreational and tourism uses Encouraging a mix of land uses, including housing, retail,
commercial and tourism uses to develop alongside existing industrial activity Improving public access to the area by
creating new pedestrian and vehicular crossings across the road and rail corridor.
The Council and Chalmers Properties are clear that the development of the harbourside will not jeopardise the vitality
of the central city, or existing industries. The vision allows for development alongside an efficent working port.
Existing industries which wish to remain in the area will be safeguarded. Mayor of Dunedin, Peter Chin, said the aim is
to make the harbourside a vibrant place that people will be proud of.
“We want to make Dunedin’s harbourside an area which is easily accessible and provides the sort of environment and
facilities which will make people want to spend time there,” he said.
“Working alongside Chalmers Properties Limited, the owners of much of the land on the harbourside, and Port Otago
Limited, we believe we have developed an exciting vision for the next generation of Dunedin residents and visitors to
the city,” he said.
Chalmers Properties board member, Ron Anderson, said the proximity of the harbourside basin offers opportunities for
residential and commercial uses (such as recreation, tourism, small scale retail and offices) and for increased public
access. “Here’s an opportunity to complement amenity improvements that have already taken place in the area and to link
them with planned developments at the Chinese Garden and Otago Settlers Museum. Our vision is to encourage new
development, such as new residential apartments, while protecting key heritage elements,” he said.
The vision is for the long-term future i.e. how the harbourside might look in 50 years. It is most likely that changes
would be implemented in stages, depending on population and economic growth, as well as the availability of funding.
Mayor Chin noted that the community had previously identified development of the harbourside as a priority and residents
and businesses would be consulted with throughout what would be an inter-generational process.
Following initial consultation on the vision, the next steps will be to refine the vision and potentially prepare a Plan
Change to the District Plan. This would enable appropriate forms of development to take place and to provide appropriate
heritage and environmental protection. Submissions to the Plan Change would then be sought before any decisions on the
Plan Change were made. Changes might also be necessary to the Regional Coast Plan to enable some recreational use of the
Steamer Basin.
The only funding commitment the City Council has made is a provision in its current long-term Community Plan to allocate
$9 million to “improve harbour access” and “enhance the harbour amenity”, for spending between 2007 and 2011.
Mayor Chin said it is premature to consider any costs associated with making the harbourside vision a reality.
“The purpose of releasing this consultation document is to seek feedback on the broad concepts of a future for
harbourside. There is much water to pass under the wharf – so to speak - before costs should be looked at.” For Further
information:
Jim Harland Ron Anderson Chief Executive
Board member Dunedin City Council Chalmers Properties
ENDS