‘Immense benefits’ in avenue extension
Fitzherbert Ave project allows new areas for housing
The newly-opened Fitzherbert Ave extension will not only benefit residential expansion in Whanganui but also provide a strategic transportation link to the Mill Rd industrial area.
The 600-metre extension — connecting Fitzherbert Ave to Mosston Rd — is opens to all traffic.
The $3 million contract was majority funded with $2.04m from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s (MBIE) Provincial Growth Fund’s Covid-19 Response & Recovery Fund. This fund was used to secure immediate employment in infrastructure to stimulate the local and national economy because of the Covid-19 lockdowns.
‘Whanganui District Council senior roading engineer Brent Holmes says the project has benefited Whanganui hugely.
“About 70 jobs — 52 full-time — were created and protected through funding from the Provincial Growth Fund, both directly and indirectly in the supply and construction chain. Workers who had lost jobs in other blue-collar sectors because of Covid19 were able to be redeployed over many months.
“The benefits to the community are immense with significant downstream investment into residential infrastructure and ongoing employment opportunities in trades, engineering, materials supply, design and furnishings. This is tremendous news for Whanganui and will greatly assist in our post-pandemic recovery, including the creation of new housing developments.”
Brent Holmes says the more efficient transport link that the extension offers will also direct heavy traffic away from three nearby primary
schools. “It’s hoped this will encourage pupils to walk or cycle to school, knowing that heavy truck and commuter traffic has been diverted.”
He says the project has been in the planning for 15 years. “It’s a huge regional achievement as part of the Regional Land Transport Programme and we can’t thank MBIE enough for its unwavering support.”
Whanganui Mayor Hamish McDouall agrees the ministry’s contribution has been invaluable.
“The government contribution was essential. Completing the extension was something I committed to when I was elected as mayor as this had been mooted for well over a decade without significant progress.
“We will see this project’s benefits immediately. Jobs have been created and opportunities for housing
enabled. Importantly, there will not be as many heavy vehicles winding their way through suburban streets as the distance to the State Highway network has been reduced. It’s safer and will reduce emissions.”
Whanganui & Partners acting chief executive Jonathan Sykes says the Fitzherbert Ave extension is a great example of Whanganui’s growth benefiting the community with the addition of jobs and infrastructure.
“We anticipate this extension route to be of huge benefit to the public as businesses continue to move to Mill Rd and employment numbers there increase. We know these projects take a good deal of time and patience from the public, but the scale and significance of this extension demonstrates Whanganui is a city expanding sustainably and at pace.”
Whanganui District Council principal planner, Gavin McCullagh, says the Fitzherbert Ave extension opening allows the wider area to be developed. The extension is bounded by residentially-zoned land.
“This can now be developed in the pattern of a structure plan which was prepared in anticipation of this transport link.
“As outlined in Plan Change 53 approved in 2020, the Fitzherbert Avenue extension in conjunction with the Springvale structure plan will support a high-quality urban environment, walkable neighbourhoods, with streets well-connected to public spaces and a shared cycleway network linking to schools and adjacent areas.
“We look forward to seeing future residential development.”