A new vision for waterfront

The development of Dunedin's waterfront is back on the agenda, fuelled by a new vision of the area's future from Architecture Van Brandenburg.

The award-winning Dunedin-based architectural firm has developed a model showing what a redevelopment of the city's waterfront could look like.

It is understood the model includes a bridge to the harbourside and other links to the central city, as well as developments and public space around Steamer Basin.

The company's staff were not keen to discuss their work with the Otago Daily Times when contacted on Friday, saying the project remained ''confidential'' for now.

However, the model has grabbed the imagination of top staff at the Dunedin City Council, as well as key waterfront landowners the Otago Regional Council, Port Otago and its subsidiary, Chalmers Properties.

ORC chairman Stephen Woodhead told the ODT the interest had prompted him to call a meeting between the ORC, DCC, Port Otago and the University of Otago to discuss development in the area.

The university would be invited because, as far as Mr Woodhead knew, it was still interested in the waterfront as a possible future site for a marine science institute and public aquarium, he said.

However, the discussion - which he hoped could be held ''in the next month or two'' - would also include the potential for more public space on the waterfront, alongside other developments, he said.

''There's an opportunity, with a few ideas that have come to the surface, to talk about something that would be for the people of Dunedin and potentially enhance the harbourside, around the inner harbour basin ...

''As part of that, the possibility of freeing up some space for public space would be looked at,'' he said.

Informal talks between the parties had been held in recent months, but the latest progress remained at a very early stage, he said.

While suggestions for the area remained ''just ideas for discussion'', the more formal gathering being planned would be a chance to ''sit down and see whether there's a path forward'', he said.

It was the latest sign of progress in a debate over the redevelopment of the waterfront that stretched back years.

In 2012, a scaled-back harbourside zone - allowing more mixed-use development south of Steamer Basin - was signed off after a long-running battle with businesses that went to the Environment Court.

Despite that, talk about the potential for a wider redevelopment of the area has so far come to nothing, as plans for major projects, including a waterfront hotel, bridge, public aquarium and ORC headquarters fell flat.

That has not stopped parties including the ORC, Port Otago and the university from pushing for planning restrictions for the area to be relaxed in the city's second generation district plan (2GP).

The changes being promoted included extending mixed-use rules to Fryatt St, north of Steamer Basin, lifting the building height limit from 16m to 20m and dropping restrictions on office buildings south of the basin.

All three changes were designed to open up more of the waterfront for development, although they are yet to be signed off.

Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull, also contacted last week, said he remained in favour of waterfront development, but stressed there was ''no plan at the moment''.

''There's aspirations and there's a common awareness that there are clearly untapped opportunities in the harbourside area.

''It'd be fair to say everybody would like something to come out of the conversations ... clearly, if you look at other cities that have got harbours, they've managed to do something with them, and it would be fantastic if we did.''

Port Otago chief executive Geoff Plunket was another to back the idea, saying he had ''always'' believed in waterfront development.

The company had been a key player behind the proposed harbourside zone, and, speaking in 2015, Mr Plunket reiterated the area south of Steamer Basin remained the city's next ''logical'' development site.

Mr Plunket planned to retire later this year, but, earlier this month, said he was spending time refreshing plans for the area.

While a full redevelopment of the waterfront would take 30 to 50 years, he hoped the concept would take on ''a life of its own'' after he stepped down.

''I'm trying to find a start for that journey'', he said.

chris.morris@odt.co.nz