Council adopted its Annual Plan on 25 June. It was not without controversy. We received over one hundred and fifty submissions when in a normal year they would number around forty. So what was in Council’s plan that attracted such a response? It was of course the Martinborough Town Centre development.
This project has sound support from a good proportion of the community but also a solid core of opposition. Amid the protestations and encouragement Council did what its members are elected to do. That is consider the project on its merits and make a decision knowing full well there will be jubilation and howls of protest.
In adopting its Annual Plan, Council has agreed to the project in principle and to take it to the next step. This is the developed design phase which allows for accurate costings to be made and grant funding applications to be lodged.
Whether we proceed to build will depend totally on the outcomes of this work. If the cost is too expensive or grant funding elusive we will be back to the drawing board. Hopefully we will have these answer.
Adrienne Staples
