Meet the people behind proposals to replace dumped Timaru development

Friday, 19 July 2024

A flythrough provided by Thompson Construction and Engineering showing a proposal to create a multi-use facility at the site of Timaru's library.

Those behind two new ideas to redevelop Timaru’s arts, heritage and civic facilities include a former council candidate and the company behind a plan to build a hotel near the now dumped Theatre Royal and Heritage Hub redevelopment.

Earlier this week, Timaru District councillors voted to scrap the $57 million redevelopment and explore alternative options.

Two ideas, which were presented to councillors as one option, were submitted by Timaru resident Troy Titheridge, who stood for the council at the previous election and Timaru company Thompson Construction and Engineering.

Both parties shared their ideas after South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce representatives urged the council to reconsider the project and suggested an alternative be explored, during council’s Long-Term Plan (LTP) hearings in May.

Following that, councillors agreed to chief executive Nigel Trainor exploring other options for the project.

Thompson Construction and Engineering project facilitator John Wilson said the LTP process “really highlighted to us the majority sentiment on the current theatre proposal, and the need for an alternative’’.

“In particular, the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce submission, that we interpreted as being put forward as a challenge to the councillors, to explore local, value driven alternatives,’’ he said.

A proposal for a Timaru Civic Centre to house the district’s museum, theatre, library and council services, as prepared by Thompson Construction and Engineering.

“From this, we felt an obligation to put together a calibrated alternative.’’

He said the idea was done with the intention that, at a minimum, the company could table it as a discussion piece for the councillors.

Some of those at Tuesday's Timaru District Council meeting to decide the future of the Theatre Royal and Heritage Hub.

“We interpreted that this opportunity was open to any motivated party and understood the constraints of the existing site, and that an alternative site opened the opportunity to provide broader outcomes.’’

Thompson’s flythrough of what a multi-purpose facility at the library site could look like was played to councillors during Tuesday’s meeting.

He said two sites became frontrunners from Thompson’s perspective - one on Caroline Bay, and the other on the existing library site.

“We recognised the advantages of the existing library site and decided to focus our efforts on developing a polished model for that location.

“As we worked on this site, we recognised it as a natural fit for a multiple purpose/services civic centre.’’

He said coupled with the opportunity to remove the burden of the future library replacement, the Sophia St location seemed to have “more to offer the town on many fronts’’.

The Theatre Royal in Timaru’s Stafford St in 2023.

Wilson said it had been anticipated the company’s proposal would be “one of many possible Plan B alternatives’’, and that budget and value were the main themes.

“We knew a fiscally responsible approach would be necessary to accompany the vision. We therefore ran numbers and collaborated with other trusted parties.’’

Wilson would not confirm what the final costing was as it was “commercially sensitive’’.

However, it was less than the $57.1m set down for the now dumped Theatre Royal site project, he said.

He also confirmed the cost included the demolition of the library and build of the new facility and materials.

The discussion document provided to the council included an auditorium with back of house and fly tower, similar to that at the Ashburton Event Centre, floors dedicated to the museum and library, an area for potential wider community services, and a shared foyer with entrances — two off Sophia St and one off Bank St.

Troy Titheridge, in 2022 when he stood for the Timaru District Council, said his submission for an alternative option had been submitted in response to the challenge issued during the Long-Term Plan hearings.

“We have presented an idea and will now leave it to the council to undertake their required consultation and regulatory processes that will follow in the wake of the councillors’ decision [on Tuesday].’’

He said the company was also “very conscious that the best outcome for our region/town needs to remain the primary focus; regardless of what we or others have suggested’’.

A proposal by Thompson to build a hotel at the southern end of Stafford St, was accepted in July 2022. However, in January 2023 the council’s financial arm Timaru District Holdings Limited confirmed it had bought the properties back with the company behind it saying the hotel project was no longer viable.

Troy Titheridge's idea for a multi-use facility on the site of Timaru's library.

Titheridge said he provided his alternative option to the council following the LTP submissions hearings in May.

“I responded to the challenge put by elected members in wanting to see a potential Plan B option which arose from LTP deliberations,’’ Titheridge said.

He stood for the council in 2022 — at the time it had been 66 years since a 24-year-old had stood for local government in the area.

Titheridge, who works for the council, said he approached it as a member of the public and was invited to present his idea.

“Co-location of multiple facilities has been a long-held view of mine since 2022, when I first raised this at the initial Theatre Royal/Heritage Hub consultation.

“The appeal of having three or four facilities under one roof (theatre, library, museum, conference/meeting rooms) and providing a centralised hub for the community, whilst saving operational costs, is a significant factor.’’

He said the library site held great appeal that would leverage existing foot traffic in the area.

“That is desirable to support a co-located facility.”