$995,000 boost for redevelopment ‘exciting’

CLOSE to $1 million worth of additional funding to help revitalise the Invercargill CBD will provide developers with some extra ‘‘leeway’’ as the project enters its next phase.

New Zealand First deputy leader Fletcher Tabuteau, the parliamentary undersecretary for regional economic development, announced on Tuesday $995,000 from the Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) would be contributed to progress stage two of Invercargill’s fiveyear, $250 million innercity development plan being lead by HWCP Management Ltd.

The added boost was ‘‘exciting’’ according to HWCP director and Invercargill City Council representative Lindsay Thomas.

‘‘Stage two is about getting some more finality around the whole design and layout . . . we’re thankful for the funds to actually give us a wee bit of leeway. There’s been a huge amount of investment in this already.’’

He said funding would also help with ‘‘the design and project management’’ of helping current tenants at the site of the development to relocate during the building phase, as well as any tweaking needed to concept plans.

Mr Tabuteau described the innercity development as a ‘‘visionary project to bring life and vitality to Invercargill and Southland’’ and believed the funds would ensure the project was ‘‘robust enough to attract future investment.’’

Mr Thomas said he continued to receive positive feedback from people in Invercargill about the development.

The project will next face a demolition consent hearing in March next year.

The boost for the project was among three Southland projects to receive nearly $2 million worth of funding from the PGF.

A planned $50 million$100 million salmon hatchery, mussel spat nursery and research facility in Southland was granted $424,900 for a feasibility study, while a business case assessing development of a national sheep and goat milk industry was given $490,000.