Mixed reaction to new First St plan

PROBLEMS: Vicky Pope (left), Margaret McIntosh and Pam Dick, owners of Dish Cafe in First St, stand where they will lose parking space in the revised First St Village Plan - for a pavement extension they say they will not use. PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

A revised Lansdowne village plan is an "equitable compromise" with the Lansdowne Neighbourhood Plan Working Party, says First St business owner Janet King.

The plan, which will be presented at tomorrow's policy and finance meeting at Masterton District Council, features a small green space that accommodates angled parking outside businesses and has increased the number of lined spaces within the carpark from 19 to 22.

Mrs King, of Kingsmeade Artisan Cheese, said she was happy with the consultation leading up to the plan's revision.

But she was concerned that delivery trucks would not have access to the area directly outside First St businesses, because of the seemingly restrictive entrance and exit to the carpark in the new plan.

Masterton District Council spokesman Sam Rossiter-Stead told the Times-Age the plan would result in no access issues for trucks.

"I assure you that absolutely no time or access restrictions will be placed on trucks with the new plan. They will not have to park down Cooper St, because there will be no access issues to First St."

Mr Rossiter-Stead also said there would be a turning bay for trucks to make it easier for them to access the carpark in front of businesses for deliveries.

Mrs King said that, although businesses had not got everything they wanted in the revision, it was a workable middle ground.

"I think the general consensus with business owners is that we came too close to losing a whole lot. So to us, at least this is breathing space."

The previous First St Plan included no shopfront parking for three businesses, which left affected owners feeling they had not been consulted properly in the drafting process.

First St resident and landscape architect Rachel Callaghan said the new plan would benefit businesses but only if all "practical elements are addressed".

"Aesthetically, I think this is going to look fabulous, brilliant even," she said.

"To accommodate trucks more it could just be a matter of using an angled green space instead of a squared off one, but I definitely see this plan as being an enhancement."

But the owners of Dish Cafe, sisters Pam Dick, Vicky Pope and Margaret McIntosh, are unhappy that they have lost parks outside their shopfront in First St under the new plan.

In the revised plan, Dish Cafe will see an extension of the street corner pavement, which results in the loss of some of their shopfront parks.

"We as a business are losing carparks and gaining an area here instead, which we won't be using," said Mrs Dick.

She said that, although the plan suggested Dish would have tables and chairs outside on the corner, the area was "not outside our business and can't be seen from staff inside".

"For Dish, it's a bit sad we've lost parks outside our business, because a lot of our customers are mature, so it could make service to them a bit harder if they have to park further away."

Business owners interviewed by Times-Age said the compromise was an improvement on the first copy of the plan and agreed that First St needed some "sprucing up".

Copies of the plan are available for viewing at the premises of affected businesses.