Council urged to rethink downtown development

Critics of the Invercargill CBD redevelopment will ask the Invercargill City Council to engage with urban planners on the rebuild project, with a focus on heritage values.

The public forum held yesterday was presented by outspoken architect Bob Simpson and Heritage New Zealand advocate Christine Henderson.

Simpson said he did not oppose the revitalisation of the CBD but the changes being proposed were too dramatic.

HWCP Management Ltd – the company behind the development – has acquired almost an entire city-centre block with plans to demolish and develop it into a retail mall, student apartments, and a medical centre.

Last month, Geoff Thomson resigned as director of HWCP, reducing finance behind the investment by $21 million.

An extraordinary council meeting after his resignation passed a resolution that the council would work with the remaining investors to ensure there would be sufficient funding to move the project forward.

At the time, council chief executive Clare Hadley said ‘‘councillors have also acknowledged that we will need to consult with our community should any further investment by council be proposed.’’

Attendees at the forum raised concerns that demolition of heritage buildings was a done deal and ratepayers had no say on the matter as HW Richardson Group had the majority of shares in the investment.

However, Simpson was not convinced that the demolition would go ahead by January.

Henderson said she had noticed tourists were in awe of the number of heritage and art deco buildings in Invercargill.

Given the prominence of online shopping, physical retail had to attract consumers with a visitor experience, she said.

The focus on the redevelopment should be away from retail and focus on community space such as museums and art galleries, Simpson added.

The group decided on a recommendation asking the council to engage with urban planners to take a fresh look at the block revitalisation project, and retention of heritage values was important.

After the meeting, HWCP director Scott O’Donnell, who did not attend, said the majority of resource consents for the demolition had gone through.

The last were expected to be completed this week and demolition would go ahead in the New Year, he said.

O’Donnell was happy to consult with the group but that did not mean HWCP were planning on stopping work.

‘‘Retention of heritage values is important.’’ Public forum recommendation to city council