Stoush over plans to change Phoenix car park into green space

OPPOSED: Mount Maunganui businessmen Bob Tulloch, Mark Rundell and Charles Robertson are against plans to develop most of the Phoenix car park into a urban green space. Photo/ George Novak

Trade-off plans to make Phoenix car park at Mount Maunganui into an urban green space has upset many business owners.

The decision had caused anger and fears that the removal of car parks would affect ''livelihoods'' while Mount Mainstreet said its consensus revealed the majority of its members were against the project.

Last week the council's City Transformation Committee voted 6-1 to support a slimmed-down version that was originally going to replace all 55 parking spaces.

The committee agreed to retain up to 20 car parks on the site until June 2020, following a survey of mainstreet retailers, the 55 replacement places would be found by changes to the May St carpark, and the parking spaces along Prince Ave and Nikau Cres.

Mount Maunganui/Papamoa Ward councillor Leanne Brown, who spearheaded the compromise, said ratepayers would not pay for the green space as ''it's being funded by developer contributions and that money has to be spent by 2021 . . . or we have to give it back''.

''It's a little matter of being brave and bold. We are ending up with a positive result and more parks.''

The debate had been ongoing for years with various consultations and the outcome was not a surprise, she said.

The survey revealed a split in the ranks, with equal support for each of the three options.

But Mount Maunganui businessman Charles Robertson said he was ''gutted'' and knew of long-term residents in outlying streets who were also worried about congestion.

He had been a retailer at the Mount for more than 40 years and said he did not mind progress if it was done properly but did not get the opportunity to fill in the survey.

''We don't want to go backwards and we can't afford to have less car parks."

His concerns were echoed by fellow businessmen Mark Rundell and Bob Tulloch.

''My biggest issue is the council is hell bent on stopping traffic off Mount Maunganui Rd. This has become a tourist town and tourists need to know how to find car parks,'' Mr Tulloch said.

''I think what we feel has happened is that council is trying to ram it down our throat.''

Mount Mainstreet chairwoman Jane Debenham said as ''far as the board is concerned we decided not to support any development and wanted to keep the car park as it was''.

''There are still a lot of really upset retailers.'

''Parking is crucial to us when you have other places like Bayfair, Tauranga Crossing and Papamoa Plaza. People are going to quickly walk away because it will be in the too-hard basket to come down here.

''That is what has happened at The Strand, it's human nature people like to park and walk into their stores or cafes.''

Next steps to deliver Phoenix Car Park into open urban space

* Detailed design and consenting

* Tendering and construction

* Opened in time for the summer of 2018-19