Marina, cafes in $250m port plan

BY ALAN WOOD

Lyttelton's waterfront could be transformed with parks and cafes under a $250 million port company proposal.

Lyttelton Port of Christchurch (LPC) hopes to develop the area, including a marina, within 10 years, depending on funding and commercial activity.

It also plans to create a cruise-ship berth to support Canterbury's tourism industry.

The marina and cruise-ship area would be sited in front of the township.

"You could end up with 600 to 700 boats in the [marina] ... One of the big gaps in Canterbury at the moment is access to the water for boaties," LPC chief executive Peter Davie said. The company was also "trying to create some greenspace, cafes – things that people want to come to and enjoy".

However, he stressed the proposal was still just a concept.

"You're bandying around huge numbers, $200m to $250m. [Funding] is something we've got to talk to people about," Davie said.

"We haven't got to the stage we're saying we've got to do it; we're saying the logical progression is to move the port to the east, and we'll do it over a period of time."

It was believed that of the 1000 to 2000 boats moored in Marlborough, 1000 were Canterbury-owned. Many could return to Lyttelton to provide the port with valuable marina fees.

Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker said the LPC proposal was "stunning and ultimately achievable".

"The question is where does the money come from, what's the time frame and how serious is the company about turning over the whole of the inner harbour to essentially an extension of the Lyttelton township with a gorgeous marina?" he said.

The Christchurch City Council's commercial arm, Christchurch City Holdings Ltd (CCHL), owns about 78 per cent of LPC, with Port Otago, which is in merger talks with the port, owning 15.48 per cent.

CCHL chief executive Bob Lineham said the proposal would depend on the "commercial realities" of the port operation.

Asked whether the council would help with funding, Parker said: "It's too soon to begin that type of speculation because the port company over the years has floated a number of potentially attractive marina options.

 

"I think this is the ultimate form the port should take – that's my personal view ...

"The inner harbour is at the end of its useful life in many ways and the city would be interested in finding out more about the concept," Parker said.

LPC also plans to reclaim land on its eastern boundary to accommodate container-trade expansion.

Reclamation work, possibly starting in two years, is the first step.

LPC was due to submit fresh consent applications for an initial seabed area to be built up into land, LPC chairman Rodger Fisher said.

Dredging material, river stones or quarry stone could be placed in the area between Sticking Point and Battery Point, a bay also known as Te Awaparahi.

This would allow more West Coast coal to be stored, along with containers.

The port was considering reclamation of about 10 hectares in the first stage.

- © Fairfax NZ News