Koh led a move to ditch the project a month after the new council was elected late last year, but council decided, six votes to five, to get up-to-date information on the project instead.
The up-to-date information has now arrived in the form of a report by project management office manager Alison Law.
“The total cost to deliver the Te Uruhi facility has increased from the original estimated budget of $4.4 million in 2020, to $7.8 million in 2022 and to $8.4 million in 2023.
“The projected cost increase is largely due to continued significant cost escalation within the construction sector across New Zealand and the extra contingency applied to the project.
“If council agrees not to proceed with the Te Uruhi facility, officers will schedule a workshop with council to explore options to consider how the proposed project outcomes could still be delivered.”
Law’s two recommendations included:
A: That council does not proceed with the Te Uruhi facility project due to significant cost escalation, which means the project is not viable to progress.
B. That council request officers schedule a workshop with council to explore alternative options for the delivery of the identified project outcomes, with options to be discussed through the update of the economic development strategy.
The proposed Te Uruhi project involved a biosecurity (for Kāpiti Island visitors) and info/storytelling building.
It also features improvements to the Tikotu Stream a lot of which has already happened.
The report said a Kāpiti Gateway facility had been discussed for more than 30 years with the community.
It had been proposed to improve biosecurity practices and the visitor experience to Kāpiti Island, strengthen the partnership with mana whenua and facilitate mana whenua storytelling, inform visitors and the local community about Kāpiti Island and the conservation story of the island, promote tourism of the island and district, and enhance the Kāpiti Coast experience by celebrating its rich culture and history.
