An artist's impression (subject to design process) of the planned Pātea town centre South Development, with construction to begin in 2028. Image / South Taranaki District Council
An artist's impression (subject to design process) of the planned Pātea town centre South Development, with construction to begin in 2028. Image / South Taranaki District Council
A pedestrian mall will be built in Pātea’s town centre as part of South Taranaki District Council’s South Development.
It will be on Cambridge St between Egmont St (State Highway 3) and Dorset St.
The council confirmed the change at its April 15 meeting, with plans for new amenities toinclude a permanent market space, a more inviting town entrance and enhanced community connection.
Mayor Phil Nixon said the decision to proceed reflected strong community support.
“A pedestrian mall allows us to move forward with a safer, more welcoming space that supports events, everyday use and the vitality of the town centre,” he said.
Highway safety concerns and an outdated layout had left the spot underused, according to the council’s Pātea Roadmap.
The section of Cambridge St between Egmont St (State Highway 3) and Dorset St was closed to vehicles on April 15.
The South Development is part of the council’s Town Revitalisation Programme, launched in 2019 to transform Pātea, Waverley, Ōpunakē, Eltham and Manaia towns.
Council community development manager David Pentz said it would not be a shopping mall but a pedestrian area.
“By making it a pedestrian mall, the road is still closed but in the future [the council] could reopen it without any legal process, other than notifying the community,” he said.
The council allocated $10.6 million from its Long-Term Investment Fund in the 2021–2031 Long-Term Plan for the Town Revitalisation Programme.
Pātea was allocated the most funding ($2.33m).
Pentz said about $1.2m-1.3m would go towards the South Development, depending on the roof structure and toilet designs chosen.
The Pātea Co-design Group of 10–15 community members was established to help deliver the projects with community needs in mind.
Public art and murals, a township guide board, seating, lighting, a roof structure for shelter and youth play areas were planned for the South Development.
The public toilets, featuring a mural by the late Mareta Marsters, would be refurbished to improve functionality and aesthetics.
“The mural’s at the end of life,” Pentz said.
“It’s concrete blocks. To disassemble that is really not going to work.”
The two options being considered are revamping the current toilets – freshening up the mural or commissioning a new one – or building a new, “more bespoke” toilet block.
“That toilet block is extremely well used, and it’s pretty rundown, so it just needs a little bit of investment,” Pentz said.
If new ones are built, they would likely be three free unisex toilets.
Replacement of an ageing water pipe beneath the site has been brought forward to the end of this year to be completed before South Development construction begins, Pentz said.
Footpaths between the pedestrian mall and Pātea skatepark and pools will be upgraded.
The Pātea Co-Design Group is also working through ideas to revamp shopfronts in a push for a more visually appealing commercial area.
However, Pentz said nothing was confirmed yet as funding would have to be sourced elsewhere.
A total of 79 submissions were received during the summer consultation period, with 73% supporting the proposal and 25% opposing it.
Accessibility, parking, traffic and business access were among the concerns raised by submitters.
Pentz said about 14 new parking bays would be built, including two potential electric vehicle bays.
The road outside the cafe would be levelled to prevent issues for people getting in and out of vehicles, he said.
