"This has dragged on since 2001 when we first heard about it. We had two properties there, and managed to sell one at a reduced price.
"The other one we still own. We could not sell it due to these plans.
"We decided not to do it up, it just wasn't worth it because the council was going to buy it off us."
Mrs Mordecai said they spent years calling the council trying to find out when the project would start and when they would be able to sell their property.
"Then they told us they didn't want to buy our property at all. So we've sat on it for 10 years for nothing.
"This has been a waste of our time and we have now lost money on our investment, so yes, we are quite upset.
"Now we have to spend a lot more money to fix it up and sell it off, we are back to square one."
She said it would cost at least $10,000 to get it ready for sale and probably $30,000 to do the job properly.
"We have spoken to a lawyer about trying to get compensation, but he told us we wouldn't have much of a chance in court.
"But we still think that because we have lost opportunities to sell it the council should be obligated to buy us out or compensate us for our loss."
Pukeroa Oruawhata Group
Pukeroa Oruawhata client manager Peter Faulkner of Deloitte said the group was pleased the uncertainty had been laid to rest.
The group owns the Trade Central site on Amohau St which is now home to Mega Mitre 10 and Hunting & Fishing.
In June 2013 development managers EML Ltd told the Rotorua Daily Post Trade Central had been designed with the Victoria St Arterial in mind, with the goal of capturing the 20,000 plus cars a day that were projected to go past it.
Mr Faulkner said this week's decision would allow for a range of parties to start planning for the future.
"In terms of Trade Central, the initial view is that it will create some opportunities, however we need to work through the full implications.
"What it will do is provide for some certainty for the likes of St John who are looking at their future development plans and will now be able to do so in the certainty of tenure on their existing site."
Mr Faulkner said it was too early to comment on the implications for the group's Rotorua Central site.
"We have undertaken the development to this date with the Victoria St Arterial in mind so in the short term there are no major implications for the development.
"Long term it may have some positive implications," he said.
Rotorua MP Todd McClay
Mr McClay said he wasn't surprised by the decision saying the figures never really stacked up.
"I'm on record as saying publicly that it would be a brave council official that advised the council to commit funding to this road and that ratepayer money could certainly be put to better use."
It was originally proposed as a way to separate local and regional traffic flows.
"However this objective would not have been met with the enlargement of Victoria St, and would have merely resulted in traffic being moved from one side of Central Mall to the other at a significant cost."
Trade Central Business
As a Trade Central business, Hunting and Fishing Rotorua co-owner Adam Rowbotham said the news was not a surprise and he felt it would not affect his business either way.
"We didn't expect anymore business if it went in or not, it won't harm us at all.
"Actually, I think it will add to further development in and around this area now that the land has been freed up for other possible developments."
Moteliers
Union Victoria Motel owner Bruce Beesley said he was glad the whole process was now over.
"When it would have been finished there would have been a median strip right down the middle that would not allow right turns into our business.
"There was no doubt that we would lose customers.
"It is good news for us, but it's a shame it's cost the council $6.3 million for property purchases, especially when we all told them we didn't want it in the first place."
Mr Beesley said a group of motel owners spent a lot of money on experts to defend their position but in the end the money ran out.
"We couldn't afford to go on with it.
"It also stopped a few sales of motels going through when buyers were told the road was going through," Mr Beesley said.
Victoria Lodge Motel manager Kasia Wanat said she had mixed feelings about the situation.
"But we've been here only five months.
"It's good because it won't become a main street. But it could have brought us more customers. Who knows?"
