David Loughrey

The Dunedin City Council plans to carry on with its funding of the stadium, despite the two court cases being taken against the project.

The Otago Theatre Trust believes the Regent Theatre can be transformed from an 1830-seat venue to one closer to 800 seats through the creative use of lighting, but Peter Entwisle, who has been lobbying for the development of an 800-seat theatre, has described the idea as "smoke and mirrors", and says it will not work.

The Regent Theatre looks set to get the $4.7 million it requires for an upgrade, in a move that could solve the Dunedin City Council's need for a 600- to 800-seat theatre.

A reply to residents who presented submissions to the council opposing the Awatea St stadium has become "half the size of The Forsyte Saga", as the council tries to clear up what Mayor Peter Chin says are factual errors and wrong assumptions.

The latest legal challenge to the Otago stadium will go before the High Court at Dunedin on Wednesday

Queenstown property developer Basil Walker, the man behind the latest legal challenge against the Otago stadium, confirmed yesterday he is not a ratepayer and is an undischarged bankrupt.

The annual plan hearings descended from a polite, if sometimes strained discussion, into shouting and finger pointing yesterday, when Cr Richard Walls clashed with a submitter.

After 36 hours at the table listening to 184 submitters, the Dunedin City Council will now turn its attention to who gets what, and how much ratepayers will pay when its annual plan process is complete.

Phillip Cole urged the council to find innovative ways to encourage people to use buses, and provided a few ideas of his own, despite responsibility for public transport being with the Otago Regional Council.

The Dunedin City Council needed to take a good look at its consultation process following an acrimonious debate on the stadium, and loss of public trust, Dunedin educationalist Pat Harrison said in her submission.

Work identified as "urgent" to upgrade the stage at the Regent Theatre is expected to cost $4.75 million, with another $1.7 million needed for the theatre's auditorium.

Years of clearing a mud tank near her home after floods has become too much for Patricia Lainchbury and the 80-year-old Woodhaugh woman (pictured) wants action.

The Awatea St stadium sparked some testy and ill-natured exchanges yesterday, as stadium opponents took out their frustration on councillors.

Social service agencies appeared at the annual plan hearing yesterday to tell the story of struggling families with little extra money to pay for rate increases.

Dunedin residents' chance to tell the city council what they want for the future has come again, with annual plan hearings beginning yesterday. Decisions on major issues like the town hall extension - successfully quashed by opponents - and the stadium - a contract to build it was signed last week - have changed the political landscape. But as Dunedin City Council reporters David Loughrey and Chris Morris report, other issues are emerging.