City Centre Revitalisation

We are at the start of a period of fundamental change for our city centre. The infrastructure works starting this year will be ongoing, and as the projects are completed, the way our city centre feels, looks, and functions will also start to change with them, writes Deputy Mayor Rohan O'Neill-Stevens.

In my early years growing up in Nelson, there was little in the city centre that held my interest outside of the old arcade. There weren’t many spaces where, as a young person, we could just be ourselves and exist. This has started to change in recent years, and it’s something I am really proud of. Places like the top of Trafalgar Street have added immensely to the overall vibe of the city, and these new projects build on that same principle—if you create an experience that people enjoy, they’ll want to keep coming back.

Our retail and hospitality businesses are doing their best to succeed in a changing environment. With the rise of online shopping, the city centre must offer more than just products—it needs to provide an experience. From the
moment someone arrives in the city, meeting friends, shopping, enjoying a coffee, or going out for lunch, to the moment they leave we want people to feel like they’ve had a little bit more than the average day out.

This isn’t the first time Nelson’s city centre has undergone a major transformation. The city centre as we know it today didn’t exist in its current form until the 1990s, when there was a dramatic investment and overhaul. That was nearly 30 years ago so we are well overdue a refresh. And if we want to stay relevant and continue to evolve as a city, we have to embrace change. Investment and confidence from Council, can inspire the same from the private sector.

When you step out of a shop or onto Bridge Street, we want you to know exactly where you are. To achieve that, we’ve partnered with iwi to tell the stories of this place—stories that go back hundreds of years. These stories are meaningful, and they help all of us locate ourselves not just as a community, but as a community here in Te Tau Ihu, at the top of the South Island. I walk down these city streets every day, and it’s exciting to think how these stories will be brought to life in ways that connect us more deeply to this place.

So, while these projects involve physical transformations, they’re also about creating a cultural shift in how we view and use the space. Ten years from now, my dream is that when you step into the city centre, you’re stepping into a place filled with activity—whether that’s due to direct upgrades by Council, more people living in and around the city centre, or a thriving, creative hospitality and retail scene. The city centre will be a permanent hub of activity, a place where people want to be.

I want to be upfront about the disruption these works will create, there will be times over the next few years where city centre work is extensive. This will be hard for some our businesses and potentially frustrating for you, but without this disruption we won’t be able to change our city for the better.

We know the Bridge to Better project, in particular, will be a major undertaking, but the upcoming works cover a wider area of the city. One of the key focuses for me is on how we program these works to minimise disruption while telling residents, visitors, and businesses, “we are open for business,” and ensuring people know the city centre is still a good place to visit.

At the heart of this disruption management is an ongoing conversation. This project isn't just Nelson City Council's; it's a partnership with everyone who uses these spaces. We know there’s a trade-off between getting things
done quickly and minimising disruption. Right now, we’re still working on that balance, but the options in front of us include things such as whether to complete a larger section in one go, which could mean more intense but shorter disruptions or take more time overall, with less disruption. It’s a tricky balance to strike and one that we have already been discussing in detail with businesses on Bridge Street and other key stakeholders.

These changes are exciting, and they’re also necessary if we want to grow and thrive as a city. We are working hard to ensure the process is as smooth as possible, but we know it won’t always be easy. Change never is. But by continuing to invest, adapt, and listen, we can create a city centre that’s vibrant, welcoming, and truly reflects the best of Whakatū Nelson.

See also: City Centre Revitalisation works