Editorial: Good and bad in City Focus work delay

The new-look City Focus being designed by the Rotorua Lakes Council. Photo / Ben Fraser

Saturday's Rotorua Daily Post front page bore the encouraging headline "Rotorua: We're booming" - based on an Infometrics report which found Rotorua was growing at higher than national average levels in 10 out of 11 economic indicators.

Of course, things are no bed of roses for everyone in the city, or in New Zealand.

Unemployment in the district is still above the national average (though down to its lowest rate since 2009) and the growth in areas such as guest nights, rising house prices and building consents may not yet be being felt by many ordinary people. But as a whole, the district's economic growth is impressive.

Including, it seems, for those in construction - if the latest City Focus news (page 5 today) is anything to go by.

The city project was meant to get under way last month but after only one company tendered to carry out the work, it has been delayed until next year. Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Geoff Williams told us he understood contractors were just too busy to take on the project.

If that is indeed the only reason, that's fantastic news for the local construction industry and shows just how much development is happening around the region.

It is disappointing news, however, for retailers and CBD users keen to see the City Focus transformed again into a busy, attractive hub. While I have always felt the City Focus needed a revamp, the vast empty space is not ideal and it's a shame we will have to wait so long to see the plans come to life.

With a local election taking place before the bulk of the work begins, and a number of vocal opponents to the proposed plan, we may not yet have heard the end of the City Focus debate.