KEY POINTS:
Major national and international developers are queuing up to develop Whangarei's Town Basin, with one company already proposing a $50 million makeover of the area.
Auckland-based development company Neil Group, owned by companies based in Singapore and Hong Kong, last month made a confidential presentation to councillors.
Phil Halse, deputy mayor and chairman of the council's inner city development committee, confirmed Neil Group had made the presentation, but would not go into details.
Halse said the presentation was one of four the council had received recently from major development companies.
He said developers were particularly keen to get involved in developing the Town Basin area land left free by an $8.4 million roading realignment.
"These are major, big-time, developers and they have a confidence in the vision we have. These people want to be part of our growth," Halse said.
It is understood the Neil Group proposal involves a joint-development type arrangement with the council for an estimated $50 million-plus revamp taking up to two years to complete.
It is believed to include a three- or four-storey building which would be constructed over Dent St to house shops and apartments.
This would require lowering the level of the road and creating a tunnel under the building - a plan that may not go down well with Whangarei Heads and Onerahi residents who faced major delays during the 2005 Town Basin realignment.
Another four- or five-storey building, on land that is now a carpark just to the north of the new Victoria Bridge, would house Whangarei District Council offices.
Halse said the council had had "numerous" approaches from developers about the Town Basin and other areas of town.
Councillors last July visited some developers in Auckland, including the Neil Group, to talk to them about development options in the city.
The council should have an information memorandum prepared by May to send out to developers outlining what the council's vision was for any development of the Town Basin area as part of its 20/20 project to revitalise the city.
The memorandum would include some "non-negotiable" aspects of any development of the area, including ensuring public access to the foreshore area.
He said one of the problems with the city was that its growth had been very ad hoc and the 20/20 project aimed to ensure measured and planned development took place.
Halse said the council was always willing to listen to developers keen to come to the city.
"They [Neil Group] were pleased we have a pretty good plan for the Town Basin and they are showing genuine interest in it."
He said the aim was to get ratepayers to pay as little as possible toward any Town Basin redevelopment.
- NORTHERN ADVOCATE
