'Sanctuary in the city': Painted street set to beautify Hastings CBD

An artist's illustration of the proposed concept of Hastings' Heretaunga St East. Photo / Supplied

Painted streets, raised pedestrian areas and decorative gates and bunting aim to make Hastings city centre more people-friendly.

The transformation of Heretaunga St East is about to enter a new phase after the Hastings Eastside Eat Street project received $300,000 from Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Agency's Innovating Streets pilot fund.

The purpose of the fund is to trial initiatives aimed at creating a "safer, healthier, more vibrant and people-friendly" area for visitors and businesses.

The project is due to start early this month and be completed by mid-June.

Common Room owner Jess Soutar Barron said the ideas have been co-designed by community members and businesses.

"It was important to us that we made the block light and bright and fun," she said. "We wanted to create a sanctuary in the city so the Waka Kotahi grant could benefit the wider community and not just our businesses.

"We thought back to how the Blossom Parades of the 1950s had drawn people to the city, that sense of play and creativity was something that really inspired the project."

An artist's illustration of the proposed concept of Hastings' Heretaunga St East. Photo / Supplied

Hastings councillor Wendy Schollum said the community was able to try new ideas without using ratepayer funds.

"The trial plan plays with a small section of our CBD to prioritise people and connecting places of activity, which is why the 200 block was the best fit for this fund," she said.

Ideas for the 200 block have been carefully designed to allow them to be expanded if the trial proves successful.

"This will allow us to use the successes from the trial to create innovative links between our Arts Precinct and the rest of CBD."