Chamber's vision of city centre revamp

Toni Palmer says the revitalisation of the CBD is a key concern of the business community. Photo / John Borren

Tauranga Chamber of Commerce's submission on Tauranga City Council's Long Term Plan proposes that rather than go straight to the "repair and renovate" option for its civic buildings signalled by the plan, the council should explore more radical options.

These included demolition with the objective of opening up the central city and the potential to create a plaza or destination area, which could become the heart and soul of the city, the submission said.

Chamber acting chief executive Toni Palmer said revitalisation of the central business district was a key concern of the business community.

"The council has an option to rethink the buildings in the centre of town to make it a civil, cultural and commercial hub, rather than just rebuilding what is there," she said.

The submission says the current problems the council has with its civic and administration buildings should be seen as a one-off opportunity to consider the future shape, role and function of the central city.

In addition to opening up the "heart and soul" of the central city, it would also provide an opportunity for the council to look at how it delivered the majority of its customer-facing services. This could see it move from a single centralised administration block approach towards a less centralised approach applying principles of place-based management, which recognised the vitality and the diverse characters of the different parts of the city.

"The chamber supports the development and investment into the city centre and agrees that a vibrant and healthy heart of the region is fundamental to creating the energy, activity and economic benefit desired by council for the wider region," the submission said.

"Rather than looking at the city centre as another retail hub, [the CBD] has another role that is significant within the region's development." In addition, each of the other hubs would have a clear and defined role within that planning structure. Mount Maunganui was rapidly becoming recognised as a tourism boutique centre, Papamoa had already begun to grow its own coastal identity and, as the city grew, would become the centre of the southern isthmus, with Bethlehem developing to the north, the chamber said in its submission.

Deputy mayor Kelvin Clout said there was a range of options to be considered, from repairing the council buildings to demolishing one or more of them, which would allow the option of creating a civic square.

"The CBD doesn't have a large functioning public space," said Mr Clout.

If that option was adopted, then council would have to look at relocating its staff, either to other spaces in the city or building something new. "I think there's an acknowledgement that all options need to be seriously looked at," he said.

Submission
• The chamber submission on the 10 Year Plan says councils will struggle to stay within the plan's proposed rate increase limits and the council could be setting itself a parameter that was not achievable.

• The chamber suggests that rather than basing rates increases on the Consumer Price Index, it consider using a more relevant index such as the Local Government Price Index, which factors in local body infrastructure spending.