Scott O'Donnell responds to H&J Smith concerns
Wednesday, 28 November 2018
The man behind the Invercargill CBD redevelopment says the last thing they want to do is cause chaos.
HWCP managing director Scott O'Donnell has spoken to H&J Smith managing director Jason Smith to discuss H&Js concerns about the development.
H&J Smith department store, in its public submission to the HWCP resource consent application, expressed real concerns about the 'inevitable adverse effects' the proposed CBD redevelopment would have on its business during the lengthy demolition and construction phase.
HWCP has lodged a consent application to demolish 30 buildings in the Invercargill CBD and build a massive mall on the site which will include retail and food shops, anchor tenant, office space, apartments, a medical centre and multi-level carpark.
The first stage of the application is to demolish 30 buildings in the Esk, Dee, Tay and Kelvin street block during two years, while construction work is expected to take up to three years.
A total of 43 public submissions have been lodged with the Invercargill City Council - 25 in support, 10 in opposition and eight neutral.
The H&J Smith submission says it wants the city council to put the application on hold so affected parties can be consulted and measures proposed to avoid adverse effects.
The department store, across the road from the block to be redeveloped, says the applicant has failed to recognise the likely impact the project will have on H&J's and others in the CBD.
O'Donnell said he met with H&J Smith managing director Jason Smith on Tuesday to discuss the issues with him.
H&J Smith and other retailers had concerns which included the financial risk to their businesses while the lengthy demolition and construction phase played out on their doorsteps.
O'Donnell said he told Smith they would have ongoing communication with the department store and other retailers in the vicinity throughout the demolition and rebuild.
'The last thing we want to do is cause chaos,' O'Donnell said.
'Our job is to rebuild the CBD with minimum effects around it.
He expected to have regular meetings with the retailers to give them the best information so they could work together to minimise disruption.
'We can't say there won't be any [disruption] but we will try to minimise it.'
He did not believe the redevelopment work would disrupt H&J Smith's normal client base.
The buildings being demolished would be hauled back into the block so it would have minimal effects on pedestrians and traffic in the area, he said.
'We can do pretty much everything in our own property, there will be some exceptions, but not many.'
H&J Smith also expressed disappointment that the applicant was not connecting the proposed development with its neighbours through covered elevated walkways crossing Kelvin and Esk streets.
O'Donnell said he was happy to talk to H&J Smith about the options.
The resource consent hearing date has not yet been determined.