PACC site added and assessment criteria set

Council voted today to add another Council owned site to a short list of potential sites and revise the assessment criteria for Nelson’s Performing Arts and Conference Centre.

The additional site for consideration is the Wakatu Car Park.

All sites will now assessed using three different matrices to give a clearer picture of each sites suitability for a combined performing arts and conference facility, a performing arts venue only or a conference centre only.

Council had previously resolved to proceed based only on a combined performing arts and conference centre but this may be revisited as part of the assessment of sites.

Councillors have now been asked to assess each of the sites against a range of criteria including:

• Ability to provide a PACC with civic presence/urban form
• Proximity to existing and potential accommodation
• Proximity to supporting activities e.g. retail/cafes
• Car parking
• Other opportunities
• Other constraints
• Design opportunity and accessibility
• Availability and cost

The assessments will be discussed at a Council workshop to be held on 18 May with the aim of selecting a preferred site.

Mayor Kerry Marshall says “This is a common sense approach to finding the right location for what will be a flagship facility for our City for many years to come. We will now apply these decision making tools to our short list of sites and bring the best options back for the community to give us their feedback on.”

The short list of potential sites on Council owned land was amended and adopted as follows:

• Millers Acre
• Elma Turner Library
• Halifax Street Croquet Green
• Rutherford Park
• Trafalgar Park Number 2
• Wakatu Car Park

Council also delegated staff to continue talks with owners of potential sites on private land with the aim of releasing a full list of possible sites for public consultation in June/July this year.