City set for multimillion-dollar cash boost

Dunedin could be set to receive a multimillion-dollar cash injection from the Provincial Growth Fund, including to help pay for the city's waterfront development.

David Parker
David Parker

City officials and media have been called to a public announcement in the Dunedin Centre this afternoon, attended by Regional Economic Development Minister Shane Jones and Economic Development Minister David Parker.

It is expected to involve an announcement on funding for the city's waterfront development bid, but also money for the city's Centre of Digital Excellence (Code) initiative.

It will put to an end a long wait for an answer for the city, which submitted a bid for PGF funding for the waterfront project - believed to involve a request for $100million - over a year ago.

The money, if approved, will pay for groundworks, building platforms and sea wall upgrades needed to prepare the waterfront for development.

Such costs have long been seen as a barrier to private sector investment, making the PGF bid - and the size of the sum awarded - crucial to the wider project.

What the proposed waterfront development will look like. Image: Animation Research
What the proposed waterfront development will look like. Image: Animation Research

Separately, plans for the Code initiative in Dunedin were announced by then-Labour leader Andrew Little in 2017.

The centre was to have $10million spent on it over 10 years, paid for by the PGF, it was said at the time.

The announcement is scheduled to begin at 1pm.

Comments

What a waste of 100 million dollars,these people should be locked up in a secure facility and the key thrown away.

Hate to be the naysayer but I don't feel that the harbour waterfront area has the consistency of weather needed to make a project of that type and scale a success. If it does proceed I hope I would be proven wrong.

You will be proven right George 100%.

My two cents, how about putting the cash into getting the high st trams track to Exchange to Mornington rebuilt. The enthusiasts have already restored the trolley cars at private expense plus they will no doubt be revenue earning, especially when used by commuters and summer tourists. Mornington CBD will flourish....it would be a great novelty for the city..

What a waste, thought the dcc had better priority's like housing or stopping flooding. Seems not, they would rather spend our rates on frivolous things like this and crow about doing so.

 

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