Sumner Village Centre master planning sessions well attended
More than 100 people have taken part in the community-led Suburban Centres Programme focus group and community drop-in sessions on the recovery of Sumner Village Centre over the past two weeks.
Chairman of the Joint Advisory Group David Cox says the sessions were organised to help the Council tap into local knowledge and gather information vital to the recovery and rebuild of Sumner Village Centre.
“Community leaders, building and business owners, central and local government agencies, other stakeholders and local residents have discussed options and ideas and have shared their top priorities for their centre.
“People came with a wide range of information and some exciting ideas. People liked the idea of retaining and building on the village’s quirky, eclectic identity and developing better connections to the Esplanade and the sea.
“Other ideas included mixed use zoning, more activities for youth, and the repair or replacement of key community facilities. Traffic issues, including vehicle speeds and better car parking, pedestrian spaces and cycleways also featured,” he says.
Mayor Bob Parker says, “I am extremely pleased with the leadership shown by the Joint Advisory Group – they have attended discussion sessions and advocated for their community. Some clear themes have emerged such as retaining the character feel of buildings through architectural design guidelines. I look forward to the next stage in the development of the master plan.”
Programme Manager, Healthy Environment Jenny Ridgen says the community came out in good numbers to share local knowledge, air their views and identify their top priorities. The information gathered at these sessions is crucial to the development of a community-agreed, long term vision of how the Village Centre may look and function.
“Building on the work that was underway, the Council now has a clear directive from the community for the development of the draft Sumner Village Centre Master Plan. The Council will work with the Joint Advisory Group on the next stage of the master planning process – the ‘design element’. This involves discussions on how suggestions and ideas from the community could work, and testing them against current best practice."
Ideas and options will be presented to the community in the draft Sumner Village Centre Master Plan, which the Council aims to consult on later in the year.
For further information on the project contact: suburbancentres@ccc.govt.nz.
Or visit www.ccc.govt.nz/suburbancentres