LEADER COLUMN OCTOBER 2012

The Council are working to create a vibrant, walkable inner city with good amenity. This accompanied by our climate, fantastic natural environment and our close proximity to New Zealand’s largest city should make us an attractive destination. So it is sad to walk through the CBD and regularly see empty commercial premises or closing down sales. While this problem is not unique to Whangarei and we are just following trends being exhibited in many of New Zealand’s larger cities, it does not make the situation any more palatable. The situation is in part due to some retail businesses no longer being able to operate in what are very difficult and increasingly competitive times. The situation has not been helped by online shopping and that many office workers relocating their businesses to locations that were once traditionally residential areas on the commercial districts outskirt. A reduction in the overall number of business units in Northland has also reduced demand for commercial property. In the current economic environment there is simply too much space available. This creates a challenge for the Council in their desire to create a vibrant CBD as there is an oversupply of commercial stock and an undersupply of businesses to occupy it. There should be no surprise that there will be a contraction in the area retail businesses occupy within the CBD and possibly a consolidation of businesses around the areas identified by Council for future development. The central city carpark, widening of pavements, more and better located pedestrian crossings, traffic calming and a continuation of the Cameron Street theme will all have a positive benefit on the amenity of the CBD. An increased sense of place and an emphasis on the place of the pedestrian within the city should result in increased foot traffic, something that all retailers want. There is evidence to support this happening elsewhere in New Zealand. For example following similar upgrades to Auckland’s Queen Street, pedestrian traffic increased by significantly. This will be good for some businesses and there may well be other businesses on which these developments will have a negative impact. There is always the risk that an over-emphasis one part of the CBD will result in an opposite reaction in other parts. Where possible this needs to be acknowledged and catered for. This is particularly true where there may be a perception that the focus of development could be advantageous to the Council’s own commercial stock.