The Cromwell Community Board will discuss a brand new master plan for the town at its meeting today.
A report titled ``Cromwell `Eye to the Future' Masterplan'', was written by Mary Barton of Rationale Ltd, an Arrowtown-based infrastructure consultancy firm.
The board will discuss this report today and decide whether or not to accept Rationale Ltd's plan.
The report said the Central Otago District Council and the community board commissioned the plan to consider the future of Cromwell because of significant growth.
It said the town's viticulture and horticulture industries, position as a strategic hub for distribution and tourism, as well as the local construction industry, which accounted for just under half the building consents issued in Central Otago, were reasons Cromwell needed a master plan.
The report gathered data from Statistics NZ which said in the last five years, the town's population increased 18%, its school rolls 15% and its visitor population 33%.
The report identified four core projects - spatial framework for how new areas would be developed; integration of the town centre and heritage precinct; review of civic facilities using a business case approach; review of the Cromwell Memorial Hall using a business case approach.
The report recognised that the town centre was lacking in vibrancy.
``The Cromwell town centre, a product of the Ministry of Works planning regime, is tired, dated and not fulfilling its purpose as a vibrant economic and social hub of a growing community.''
If the board accepts the master plan, it will be adopted in the council's 2019 Annual Plan.
The plan's cost of 758,600 will be funded from the board's reserves.
The meeting will be held at the Cromwell Service Centre at 2pm.
