The Kaikōura District Council is proposing to establish a joint venture company with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and a private sector partner to continue the redevelopment of Wakatu Quay.
Photo: David Hill/LDR
Hot pools, upmarket accommodation and a cultural central have been mooted in a new proposal to secure the future Kaikōura’s waterfront project.
The Kaikōura District Council will consider a proposal to establish a joint venture company with Te Rūnanga o Kaikōura and an unnamed private sector partner to continue the redevelopment of the Wakatu Quay site.
In a report, council policy planner Daniel Hirst said the project would boost the growth of Kaikōura as a year-round destination, providing much needed business activity during the winter months.
The new venture included the potential for a hot pools’ precinct, upmarket accommodation, hospitality, health and wellbeing facilities and a cultural centre developed in partnership with the Rūnanga.
”The concept also anticipates a promenade and enhanced public realm enabling events, pop-up activities and wider activation of the waterfront area,” Mr Hirst said in his report.
”These ideas are a starting point only. The final design would come later.”
The project is being funded by a $10.18m grant from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, which the council received from the Government in 2019 to redevelop the area after it suffered damage in the 7.8 magnitude earthquake in 2016.
The council celebrated the completion of the first building on the site in December.
The first building on Kaikōura’s Wakatu Quay redevelopment was completed last year.
Photo: SUPPLIED/LDR
Any further development or building on the site would still need to go through the planning and regulatory processes, Mr Hirst said.
Under the proposal, the council would transfer the land to the new company for the duration of the project.
The new company would enable shared governance, access to private capital and ”the ability to deliver higher quality development outcomes” than the council could achieve on its own, Mr Hirst said.
It would be governed by three directors appointed by each of the three partners, and an independent chair.
Should the new company be wound up, the ownership of the site would revert back to the council.
Subject to a decision at Wednesday’s meeting, the council would seek community feedback between March 2 and April 2 before making a final decision.
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.