Main St revitalisation may start this month

BY COLIN WILLIAMS

Upper Hutt's million-dollar Main St revitalisation could finally be started at the end of the month.

It might turn out to be a little later, but the long-anticipated spruce-up of the city's increasingly tired shopping strip is definitely happening.

The upgrade, for the retailing area between the Pine Ave and Logan St intersections, was approved and budgeted by the city council in mid-2008 and originally expected to have begun more than a year ago.

It was the start of a three-part $2.8 million overhaul but, mid last year, the council's spending priorities changed and funding of the further work was pushed out a minimum three years.

That decision, coupled with the delay with the first-stage start and the increasingly tired look of the shopping strip, led to frustration and criticism, especially from Main St retailers.

The contract, to Wellington's Higgins Contracting, was let at the beginning of last month. Progress and preparation for the work has been happening for some time, city infrastructure director Lachlan Wallach says.

"Just because a contractor is not onsite does not mean no work is being done," he says.

The contract is very "material heavy", and work has been under way preparing and ordering the materials to be installed, such as the precast concrete planters and light poles.

"The contractor's initial programme will be refined once he has confirmed his material delivery dates," Mr Wallach says.

"I don't expect the contractor onsite till late March.

"At which time we will do a leaflet drop to the Main St businesses affected by the work."

- Upper Hutt Leader