Aspects of the South Dunedin retail strategy have already been put in place, with retailers and building owners taking advantage of a $50,000 fund that provided grants for cleaning and painting facades.
An extensive makeover of Lorne St has improved that area, with street furniture, play equipment and plantings part of a $116,000 project.
But after more than a year's consultation, the South Dunedin retail centre strategy will go before the council planning and environment committee on October 15, city development manager Dr Anna Johnson said yesterday.
The plan was announced last year, and was hoped to arrest the continuing decline of South Dunedin.
The draft document noted the strengths, weaknesses and challenges facing the area, from underused and dilapidated shops to a lack of open space and parking, and outlined wide-ranging social and economic initiatives designed to address them.
After its introduction, the plan went out for public consultation.
Dr Johnson said yesterday staff were "taking a bit longer" before presenting the final plan to the council, speaking to every business owner about the proposed changes in detail, as the concept involved changes to parking.
"We want to make sure every single person is spoken to," she said.
One aspect of the plan was pavement "build-outs", which narrowed the street at areas of high pedestrian use.
Those were the result of work by consultant Beca Carter Hollings and Ferner, which was commissioned to develop design concepts for the area last year.
Another activity under way was work by staff to match vacant sites with tenants, she said.
Rather than print a written document, staff had decided on a web-based plan, because the strategy was "a whole package" of initiatives, some nearly complete, some in various stages of completion.
"We felt that rather than wasting a lot of money producing a written document, it would be better to have a living document."
Asked about the budget for work to be done, Dr Johnson said staff had only "rough order costing", and the design was still evolving.
"The report in October should discuss budget."
