Golden Mile risks being tarnished if plans go awry

BY JOHN MILFORD

OPINION: Kirkcaldie & Stains is one of Wellington's longer-established stores.

As its managing director, I was delighted to read the views of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on proposals to make the Golden Mile a mall and I  empathise with Sir Bob Jones' vision for  the city.

But I also fear that without much  more work being done, we risk badly damaging New Zealand's best urban centre.

As we have seen from the Manners Mall decision of the 1970s, a decision made for the best of intentions can be the wrong one. I don't want to see an error being made with regard to the Lambton Quay-Willis St area.

If we get this wrong, we run the risk of ruining the most vibrant and enjoyable stretch of food and retail outlets in the country. I do not want to see a planning mistake made that would force an iconic institution such as Kirkcaldie & Stains to either move or close.

Ease of access is vital for our company. Most customers are happy to walk some distance to visit us, others take public transport. But a significant number of customers like being able to park their cars nearby during the week and particularly at weekends.

If access becomes too difficult, customers will cease visiting the CBD and will do all their shopping in the city's suburban malls.

I don't think that this is what most Wellingtonians want for the future. We therefore need to do exactly what the chamber is suggesting - give Sir Bob's proposal serious scrutiny, but look at all other options - including the status quo - first.

For my company, the existing access arrangements are working well. We look forward to the even more efficient public transport links that will flow from decisions taken on commuter rail and from proposals by Wellington City Council to restore bus services to all of Manners St.

These are part of an integrated travel plan for the city which will see a good balance between investment in road and rail and a similar balance between investment in private and public transport. And we should not forget pedestrians and cyclists. The present Wellington transport plan contains exactly the balance that is needed. So when I read proposals such as that from Sir Bob, I worry about what the implications of this idea would be for this plan.

Might it not risk creating an unbalanced result?

What will the implications for Featherston St and Customhouse, Jervois, Waterloo quays be? And what impact might it have on the proposed Wellington Airport to Levin road transport spine?

From my experience in New Zealand and overseas, it is clear that the success of an idea such as that being proposed by Sir Bob rests with the population mass of the city and the maintenance of easy access for those using both private and public transport.

We need to be sure that we have sufficient population numbers and visitors to sustain a mall of the size that is being proposed. And central to the issue of ease of access for private transport is the matter of access to affordable and convenient car- parking.

I am a little unsure what Sir Bob is proposing with regard to this important matter, and I am also unsure what the Wellington city and regional councils can deliver on car parking now that the car parks are essentially out of their direct control.

I am not saying that any of the concerns or questions raised are reasons why we should not run with Sir Bob's vision.

But I agree fully with the Chamber of Commerce that we need to give the idea very careful study.

Only once we are satisfied with the answers to the questions I raise should we proceed with adopting a new vision for the CBD.

It is, I believe, New Zealand's most precious piece of real estate. We cannot risk making any mistakes with its future.

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