16 Aug 2024

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Changes to Gloucester Street are being proposed to stay.

Planters, speed cushions, outdoor seating and a small stage were installed, and parts of the road between Manchester and Colombo Streets were painted in December to make the area slower and more pedestrian friendly.

A Hearings Panel, chaired by Councillor Sara Templeton, convened to consider a report and public feedback on the plan and hear verbal submissions.

It is recommending the Council keep the changes, with a few minor adjustments, in place until permanent upgrades are made.

Other recommendations include:

  • Amending the new layout after the hoardings on The Court Theatre construction site are removed to, adding five P10 carparks and one mobility park
  • Adding additional shared zone signage and markings to highlight the 10km/h speed limit
  • Moving planter boxes to improve visibility for drivers exiting the car park at 148 Gloucester Street
  • Extending the length of bus parking outside Fable Hotel
  • Investigating moving the Wahi Taiao stage and swapping it with other street furniture
  • The Council consider funding permanent changes in a future Annual/Long Term Plan
  • And Staff provide an update on the project 12 months after the opening of The Court Theatre

Councillor Templeton said this area is a destination in the Central City, connecting The Court Theatre, Te Pae, Tūranga, Whiti-reia Cathedral Square and New Regent Street.

“I think the notion of this area being a ‘welcome mat’ to the Performing Arts Precinct is the perfect analogy,” she said.

“There are a lot of pedestrians in this area and that is only going to increase when the new Court Theatre building is finished so it’s important we make this area as safe as possible,” she said.

Public feedback on the trial was open in February and March. 57% of the submissions said they felt safer with the new layout, 46% wanted the shared zone to stay, 60% wanted to keep the 10km/h speed limit and 56% liked the speed cushions.

“The lower-cost nature of the trial means that we could cheaply adapt the project based on feedback from local businesses and road users and we’ve included a number of these within our recommendations to the Council,” Cr Templeton said.

The project trial was 90% funded by NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi through its Streets for People programme.

The Hearings Panel recommendations will be considered by the Council at an upcoming meeting. If approved, making the changes will cost approximately $110,000.