The Dunedin City Council this week announced the project would be put on hold due to the economic headwinds of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mayor Aaron Hawkins stressed the project was delayed, and it would be revisited in the future.
Dunedin businessman Ian Taylor, one of the key promoters of the project, said delaying it was the right call.
‘‘I think Covid’s impacted on everybody everywhere, and I think it’s wise to pause and just make sure that, first of all, everybody’s OK.’’
‘‘Within these extraordinary times, where hardship is being faced by many in our nation, naturally there are priorities that our country, region and city must take to look after all of our citizens and this is where the focus must be.’’
He did hope the pandemic and economic fallout would not stop the city from looking to the future, and considering future-proofed jobs and industries.
The city was awarded $19.9 million late last year from the Provincial Growth Fund to help pay for the first stage of the project.
Details about the funding were still being worked through when Covid-19 struck, and council chief executive Sue Bidrose said the money had not been received.
‘‘In the future, we do not know whether the PGF process will still be in place, or what other options there will be or what any application process may look like at that time,’’ she said.
Councillors had asked that background work such as dealing with consents continued so the project was still being progressed.
The completed business case and feasibility work already undertaken would be reused and refreshed as and when required.
A statement of commitment agreement was signed by six waterfront development partners including the council, Dr Bidrose said.
‘‘This agreement is not affected and as the project progresses we anticipate ongoing collaboration with the same partners.’’
The project delay also has ramifications for the University of Otago.
The possibility of a Sustainable Futures Institute building being established as part of the development had been raised, and a university spokeswoman said it spent $10,000 on a draft vision for the development.
‘‘However, no proposal had been agreed to for the site and plans were still investigative in nature up until the Covid-19 crisis.
‘‘At this stage, any impacts on whether this draft vision progresses any further depend on the length of the delay and future actions of other stakeholders in the waterfront concept.’’
Otago Regional Council chief executive Sarah Gardner said as the consenting authority with regulatory responsibilities for the coastal environment, the regional council was not part of the memorandum of understanding with the council on the waterfront project.
‘‘We appreciate and understand the DCC’s decision to delay the project.’’
