Most submissions to a public consultation process on a building to replace the existing, non-compliant kiosk on Russell Wharf have favoured redevelopment, with design-option A emerging as the preferred choice.
Far North Holdings received 139 submissions as part of its voluntary consultation process involving the Russell community. Of these, 85 (61 percent) indicated that they wanted the existing kiosk to be redeveloped.
Just over half (54 percent) of those who supported redevelopment opted for design-option A, the design that is currently consented.
Of the 64 people who submitted an opinion on whether the building should feature public toilets instead of a fourth public bench, 68.75 percent opted for the lavatories.
Fifty people offered a view on whether the currently consented wharf development plans should be re-submitted for consent with an extended area for a game-fish weigh-station. Of these, 43 opted for the extension.
Far North Holdings chief executive Andy Nock said work on the building would only start after Easter 2019, once repair and renovation work on the main wharf structure had been completed and after the peak 2018/2019 summer season tourist traffic.
“The community told us in no uncertain terms that the wharf should be the priority and we agree completely,” Mr Nock said.
This window will allow further informal engagement with all members of the community, particularly tangata whenua, on aspects of the building design.
Mr Nock said Far North Holdings would revisit the idea of a pump-out facility for recreational boats and would triple-check the viability of this facility with Far North District Council staff and engineers to ensure that capacity was not an issue.
“Of all the issues and objections we discussed with the Russell community, by far the greatest concern was around this aspect of design,” Mr Nock said. “I want to review the work that has taken place and re-validate that the pump-out facility will operate within the constraints of the current system, to ensure that FNHL and Council staff have all got their facts straight before we go anywhere near this work.”
Mr Nock thanked the people of Russell for their “outstanding” contribution to the consultation process.
This process, combined with the consultation we undertook over our proposals for renovation of the wharf, has resulted in a robust plan that will meet the needs of wharf users and most of the members of the community who expressed interest in the issues.”
Far North Holdings is releasing the full results of the community submissions on the aspects of the building and wharf design.
All submission forms will be held at FNHL’s offices in case anybody wishes to validate their submission. The names of all who submitted will also be made publicly available, although details of their submissions will not.
There were only seven people who took advantage of the process that was put in place to enable anonymous submissions.
