Mayor's Message

The big challenge for Nelson this year is economic recovery. Our households and businesses struggled last year as evidenced by Nelson rating bottom of 16 regions in the ASB Regional Economic Scoreboard.

Council’s top priority over the past two years has rightly been the massive $90 million repair job from the August ’22 storm. The critical repairs are now done, enabling us to shift our focus to city revitalisation.

The economy will improve this year with inflation back under control and interest rates dropping. Council can play an important role by investing in infrastructure to support growth, attracting private investment to the city, supporting tourism and events that bring people to Nelson and keeping our own costs and rate rises under control.

Work will start this year on the massive Bridge to Better project with the upgrade of water infrastructure in adjacent areas such as Halifax Street. It’s about replacing old, undersized pipes to support new development and stopping Wakatu Square carpark regularly flooding. 

This work will be co-ordinated with constructing the new bus interchange at Millers Acre. Council wants to leverage new development for the city on sites it owns. I am optimistic about the proposals we have received for our sites on Rutherford, Bridge and Halifax streets.

It is my ambition for Nelson to make more of our links to the sea. The installation of the new 550-tonne travel lift this year at Port Nelson will enable an expansion of our heavy marine engineering. Council is also upgrading Nelson Marina’s capacity for repair work with a new 110-tonne travel lift arriving midyear and increasing the boat repair yard from eight to 23 berths.

We will be upgrading the cycle and walkways to the Marina and Port. Council now owns all 10 parcels of land on Haven Rd between Collins St and Guytons after buying the Customhouse late last year. The Waterfront Redevelopment Taskforce will be getting underway with design work for this area this year.

Three big initiatives we will be pushing hard for progress on from Government in 2025 are Cabinet approval for the major redevelopment of Nelson Hospital, design work for the Hope Bypass and a positive decision on the re-establishment of NMIT as an independent institution.

Other Council challenges this year include concluding Plan Change 29 on housing intensification and developing our long-term strategy on Climate Change. We have a big and busy year ahead.

- Mayor Nick Smith