Realignment planning started

Planning is under way to realign part of New Plymouth’s Coastal Walkway around a popular $7 million pocket of green space, even as lease negotiations to use the land continue.

The 12.7-kilometre Coastal Walkway runs from Pioneer Park at Port Taranaki to the eastern end of Bell Block Beach and is used by thousands of people every week.

One of the busiest parts of the walkway is a 6500 square metre patch of green near the Wind Wand, a piece of land leased by the council from the Nga¯ti Te Whiti Whenua Topu Trust.

The trust and the council are currently renegotiating the terms of that lease. And while the trust said there were no issues with the process, a council report to councillors has stated there were and it would ‘‘likely need to develop an alternative access way’’.

In a statement, New Plymouth District Council (NPDC) group manager of strategy Liam Hodgetts confirmed council was in the early stages of planning the realignment between Regina Pl and Bulkeley Tce.

However, Hodgetts said it was too early to go into details.

‘‘The lease negotiations are commercially sensitive and ongoing, and we are unable to comment further at this time.’’

NPDC did not answer questions on the nature of the ‘‘issues with lease negotiations’’ or how long this issue had been going on.

In an email, Pauline Lockett, Nga¯ti Te Whiti Whenua Topu Trust chairwoman, said at this stage there were no issues.

‘‘The Nga¯ ti Te Whiti Whenua Topu Trust are in lease negotiations with the council which is normal practice.’’

Lockett reiterated that the negotiations were commercially sensitive.

The area is classed as foreshore Ma¯ ori land with a capital value of $7.3m, based on the Taranaki Regional Council property information map.

The land runs from the Wind Wand car park (including the car park) to just past the point where the walkway joins Regina Pl.

It does not include the railway line or the walkway on the sea side of the rail tracks.

The land was once the location of the New Plymouth train station. It now includes a playground and green space.

NPDC is set to hire a consultant to consider the business case on the realignment, infrastructure manager David Langford told a committee meeting last week.

NPDC did not respond to a request to provide the business case to Stuff.

Meanwhile, NPDC is working through land acquisition for the Coastal Walkway’s extension to Waitara, councillor Tony Bedford said.

But in the meantime, he would like to see the part from the Waitara end constructed, which should see about a 3km walkway, he said. ‘‘At least that part’s constructed at today’s cost.’’