Project planning gets nod

TWO longawaited projects at Oamaru Harbour and the town’s historic Harbour St gained traction yesterday.

The Waitaki District Council’s harbour area committee instructed council officers to create a concept plan for an ‘‘urban park’’ next to Scotts Brewing Co and to create a proposal and a budget to enhance Harbour St.

The redevelopment of the Oamaru Farmers’ Market site into an urban park was brought forward as part of the council’s 201718 annual plan, when $215,000 was approved for harbour development — and beautification of Harbour St was included in a 2016 proposal to pedestrianise the historic oneway street.

Harbour St has undergone two pedestrian trials since, and while permanent plans to pedestrianise Harbour St have not been put in place, Waitaki Mayor Gary Kircher said yesterday that enhancing the streetscape would make Harbour St more ‘‘livable as a public space’’.

Changing the language of beautifying Harbour St to enhancing the street was to manage public expectation, he said.

‘‘I’m just concerned about putting particular pictures in people’s minds,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s actually about enhancing the area. Some of it is actually about making it look more attractive. Rather than ‘beautiful’ as such, it’s an industrial area, but there are some pretty beautiful buildings.

‘‘It needs to work for everyone, but we don’t want to lose sight of the fact that it was an industrial street.’’

Cr Jim Hopkins said he believed rather than developing an urban park, there were different options for the lot at Tyne and Wansbeck Sts.

Mr Kircher said the Farmers’ Market and area businesses wanted certainty and the concept plan for an urban park before council would represent progress.

Council assets manager Neil Jorgensen said the plan for an urban park would be made in conjunction with a larger concept plan for the area.