The first stage of the Whitianga Town Centre development will be an upgrade of Albert Street, from Campbell Street to Hannan Road starting in autumn.

Thames-Coromandel District Council's Mercury Bay area manager Allan Tiplady explains the upgrade will be carried out in sections to avoid as much disruption as possible to local businesses.

'We have planned to do the work in the off-peak 2017 autumn/winter/spring season so it's completed by summer 2017-18 and avoid as much disruption as possible to businesses and the public.”

In total $3.45 million has been allocated towards the town centre upgrade in council's 2015-2025 Long Term Plan. Funding will also come out of existing budgets set aside for infrastructure renewal works needing to be done in Whitianga already.

Allan says businesses will not have to shut down at any time during the works, but there will be temporary road closures in place along sections of the road during some periods of the construction.

These closures are to allow to allow contractors to replace existing water/stormwater pipes and lay pipework to allow for the installation of copper fibre for ultrafast broadband in the future.

The design of the main street will also makes it more pedestrian and accessibility friendly and allows for more al-fresco style dining to be made available to the cafes and restaurants, explains Allan.

'This means some sections of footpaths along Albert Street will be widened from 3-4metres to 10m and car parking encouraged to side streets off Albert St.

'We have let local businesses know that there could be up to 59 car parks that will go from the main street, but we're proposing an additional 51 parks be created on the side streets.”

However, one concerns from business owners is the potential lack of parking in the Whitianga town centre following the upgrade.

Mercury Bay Business Association Chair Gary Fitzsimons says while the council are committed to finding extra spaces close to town, one way retail owners and their employees can help is by parking on the side streets rather than right outside their stores,.

'This could in effect free up to 40 parking spaces for visitors and shoppers plus the extra options from council, we could actually end with more spaces around town than we currently have and all within easy walking distance.”

The main street will still be able to accommodate boats and larger vehicles, but signage will be encouraging these vehicles to avoid the main street and use other street routes to get to petrol stations and the Esplanade boat ramp.

Meanwhile a town square/plaza space is also being created at the top of Taylor's Mistake which will lead visitors to wander down through Taylor's Mistake through to The Esplanade.

'In Taylor's Mistake we want to encourage more events and use of this public space, so along with the development of the town plaza/square, we are looking at play pieces scattered through this area, which leads people to walk down to The Esplanade and the existing playground,” adds Allan.

'The skate ramp will remain on its existing site while we look at options longer-term for a skate park site.”

Stage Two (Taylor's Mistake down to The Esplanade) and Stage Three (The Esplanade) will be undertaken 2018 to 2019 to ensure the majority of the work is completed by the end of 2019 to tie in with the 250 year commemorations since Captain Cook landed at Mercury Bay.

A report on the Town Centre upgrade will be going to the Mercury Bay Community Board in February to sign off on the final budget costs and construction plan, before going to council for final sign off so that physical works can begin.

For more information visit the Thames-Coromandel District Council's Whitianga Town Centre Upgrade project webpage.