Mayor’s column: Big projects get underway

Two big projects get underway in this week, and both will help revitalise and grow our city.

Bridge to Better is a massive upgrade of the infrastructure and streetscape in Nelson’s lower central city, with a budget of $78 million, $36 million of which is coming from Government. The shemozzle in Wellington over water mains bursting every week reminds us why water infrastructure requires renewal. The utilities under Bridge Street include a brick culvert from the late 1880s for stormwater, a copper ridermain from the turn of the century for water supply and an earthenware wastewater pipe from 1934.

The problem is not just their age but their size. Investors want to build in this part of the city but can’t because the pipes have insufficient capacity. New larger stormwater, wastewater and water mains under the streets will enable investment in this part of our city. We are also putting a floodgate on a pipe that flows into Saltwater Creek, to help prevent flooding of Wakatu Square carpark in a king-tide. This infrastructure work requires ripping up the street and it makes sense to upgrade other utilities such as power and refresh the street design at the same time.

This work will be disruptive. We are working hard to programme it sensibly. The work this year is mainly in the areas adjacent to central Bridge Street, such as Halifax Street and Collingwood Street. It starts this week in Bridge Street East. The Bridge to Better project will take until 2027 to complete.

Last Friday, I joined Ngāti Koata and more than 200 people to celebrate Nelson’s newest suburb, Maitahi Village in Kākā Valley. The developer, CCKV, is investing more than $100m in infrastructure and Council a further $27m. We are also providing $4m in grants for affordable housing including an Abbeyfield house for older Nelsonians.

Maitahi Village is great for Nelson, providing more than 350 homes close to the city and a much needed $356m boost to the economy over seven years. It means more jobs, more customers for our businesses and more ratepayers to share the cost of civic facilities.

These big investments are helping us build Nelson’s future.