City all set for $150m injection

Hamilton is set for success in its application for $150 million from the Government to support inner city intensification, including a new pedestrian bridge between Hamilton East and the CBD.

An announcement is due to be made by Housing Minister Megan Woods in Hamilton today. Stuff understands the application will be successful.

If Hamilton does indeed get the $150m it will relieve earlier anxiety at city hall about having enough for key projects.

The application is the largest in the country for a share of the $1 billion fund, managed by housing agency Kā inga Ora. The application’s goals include a major new reservoir at Ruakiwi, a pedestrian bridge between Hamilton East and the city, as well as provision for 4000 new inner city dwellings, the latter a key component in the Government’s eyes.

At October’s council hui, growth funding and analytics manager Greg Carstens acknowledged the $150m bid was the only one on the table from Hamilton: ‘‘It’s a bit of an all or nothing.’’

He had previously acknowledged work the $150m would fund was currently not provided for in the city’s 10-year plan, nor was there alternative funding. But, at the same October meeting, mayor Paula Southgate said she was ‘‘quietly optimistic’’ about getting the Government cash.

She said if the Government saw Hamilton as a tier 1 city ‘‘then they’ve got to come in behind with some money because we can’t do it otherwise’’.

A successful fund bid is set to be supported by nearly $130m committed by the council and about $100m from developers.