Ask Matt: What's the plan for the Soundshell?

Q. Just what is the district council planning for the Soundshell building? As a contributor to the the present craft market, I and my fellow crafters would like to know.

A. The future role of the Soundshell is being considered as part of the longer-term Lakefront Development Plan for Rotorua's lakeside area.

As yet no decisions have been made on the Soundshell's future but any proposal developed would be subject to consultation before anything is finalised.

Local iwi, businesses operating at the lakefront and user groups such as the Soundshell craft market would be involved in those discussions.

The general public will also be consulted when there are some proposals to discuss but, at this stage, it is too soon to say when this will happen as the council is not at the point of developing specific plans for the Soundshell.

The original timeframe was a 50-year vision for the whole Lakefront area. Development will take place on a section-by-section basis over a number of years. No priority order has yet been determined for those sections, as the main focus of attention right now is on the central business district and Eat Street.

Also, the council is currently in the process of renegotiating a new lease for the Soundshell Craft Market.

However, the council has $3.8 million budgeted for the redevelopment of the Lakefront, including the Soundshell, for the next six years beginning 2013/14, with the majority of this allocated in the latter part of those six years in 2017/18 and 2018/19.