The Frank Kitts Park redevelopment has gone from a reported $5.5 million to $7 million to $42 million, but will in fact be closer to $55 million to complete.
Having been in and out of court over this proposal since at least 2017, the council put in a $42 million budget line item in the rejected Long-Term Plan. The work will see the park levelled and the council-owned car park removed. And the controversial Chinese Garden will be built smack bang in the middle of it.
Despite the considerable opposition to the proposals for more than eight years, with Waterfront Watch taking the council to the Environment Court (but losing), council planners are intent on moving forward with it.
The Long-Term Plan is re-opened and the council needs to reduce its budget. We say, in that process, this surely must be one development that gets knocked on the head in the meantime.
It’s time to re-consult with the public. And by re-consult, we mean make it an election policy of people running for council. There is clearly no mandate for the council to spend any more money on large line-items in their budget and that goes for the $55 million for Frank Kitts Park redevelopment. We say the proposal must go back to the people!
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