Agenda of Council - Wednesday, 26 March 2025

Council

26 March 2025

File No.: 25/143

7.1 Receipt and Hearing of Submissions for the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green Proposed Redevelopment

Author(s)

Robyn Ryder

Strategic Projects Coordinator | Kaikotuitui Kaupapa Rautaki

Approved by

Susan Philp

Strategic Projects Manager | Kaihautū Hinonga Rautaki

David McCorkindale

Group Manager - Vision & Delivery | Tumu Rangapū, Matawhānui Hapori, Whakarite

Monique Davidson

Chief Executive Officer | Tumuaki

Purpose | TE PŪTAKE

1. This is to receive the submissions to Reimagine the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green proposed redevelopment from the public consultation process that took place from 17 February 2025 to 17 March 2025 and provide an analysis of the submissions received.

Activating the Levin Town Centre.

This matter relates to Activating the Levin Town Centre.

Implement agreed Strategy initiatives.

Pursue connections and relationships to build momentum outside of Council led-initiatives.

RECOMMENDATION | NGĀTAUNAKITANGA

A. That Report 25/143 Receipt and Hearing of Submissions for the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green Proposed Redevelopment be received and noted.

Note: The Council decision on the feedback received will be considered in the Report - Decision to Sell the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green for Proposed Redevelopment which will form part of the public excluded session of this Council meeting.

Some submitters will be speaking to their submission. A schedule will be provided closer ot the meeting.

bACKGROUND | hE KŌRERO TŪĀPAPA

2. The Levin Town Centre Strategy was adopted by Council in November 2018. The Strategy sought to address the ‘Big Six’ Considerations – including Town Centre Identity, Spatial Orientation, Earthquake-prone Buildings, SH1 Bypass, Transport Options and Town Centre Activity. The current Council confirmed ‘Activating the Levin Town Centre’ is identified as one of Council’s top 12 priorities. Following a series of Council workshops in the second half of 2023, an implementation plan was unanimously adopted by Council during a public excluded meeting of Council held on 13 December 2023. This implementation plan identified and prioritised those key moves that were intended to transform the Levin Town Centre and deliver on the Levin Town Centre Strategy.

3. The Levin War Memorial Hall is currently one of a few landholdings that Council holds in the Levin Town Centre and as such Council supported prioritising make this one of the first key moves to act as a catalyst for town centre transformation.

4. An Expressions of Interest process to Reimagine the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green was adopted by Council on 13 December 2023, allowing officers to run the Expressions of Interest process during April and May 2024 to seek interest to “create a new life for the Levin War Memorial Hall, which respects its past and community value while giving new purpose and expression to the building, with the possibility of incorporating the Village Green and Skate Park in the transformation of this space”. The Expressions of Interest sought the following outcomes for the redevelopment of the Levin War Memorial Hall and surrounding spaces to give effect to the Levin Town Centre Transformation. These included:

· Introduce activity or activities that will contribute to the attractiveness and activation of the town centre including publicly relevant activity.

· Maintain some public, community accessibility and function.

· High quality landscape setting. All development to be complimented by generous new tree, shrub and ground cover plantings.

· Provide for an enhanced sense of frontage to the publicly accessible spaces.

· Considered approach to carparking and pedestrian movement. Any developments that require car park provisions should avoid negative impact on landscape setting, with no visible parking structures to public edges.

· A development that will attract Levin residents and visitors to the site and add to the vibrancy and appeal of the Levin Town Centre.

5. Seeking expressions of interest was the first step in a multi-step process to provide an opportunity for interested parties to register their interest to Reimagine the Levin War Memorial Hall and surrounding spaces. It was important that all proposals were not only design concepts, but were supported by a developer or investor to fund the proposal to avoid the cost of development falling on the district ratepayers.

6. Ten Expressions of Interest were received, two of which were short-listed and presented to Council to progress to participate in a closed RFP process during an in-committee session of Council Meeting held 12 June 2024, one of which was The Wellington Company. At this meeting, Council unanimously approved for both respondents to be invited to participate in a closed RFP process to Reimagine the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green. The closed RFP opened on 1 July 2024 and closed on 1 October 2024. Both RFP responses underwent a review process through an Evaluation Panel and the Levin Town Transformation Steering Group, following which The Wellington Company was unanimously recommended as the preferred respondent to proceed to the next steps.

7. While the skatepark had been included as land made available for redevelopment, the proposal by The Wellington Company Limited had been designed based on using the Village Green and Memorial Hall sites, and therefore excluded the skatepark.

8. The proposal by The Wellington Company proposes to retain, strengthen and extend the Levin War Memorial Hall, and use the building to accommodate a mix of community uses and commercial offerings. The community aspect would be fronting Queen Street. The proposed development would include the construction of a new residential development of 18 three storey apartments on the Village Green to support the town centre. The layout of the site creates a village square largely sheltered from the southerly winds between the War Memorial Hall and the new housing development. The final designs including the size and number of apartments would be confirmed as the project progressed to detailed drawings.

9. That recommendation was taken to Council meeting on 27 November 2024 where, during a public excluded section of the meeting, Council unanimously approved for The Wellington Company as the preferred respondent to progress to the next stage of the process for the Chief Executive to commence commercial negotiations with The Wellington Company, and officers to proceed to engage in a public consultation process.

10. Public consultation on The Wellington Company proposal for the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green commenced on 17 February 2025 and closed on 17 March 2025.

DISCUSSION | HE MATAPAKINGA

11. Council engaged with the community to seek feedback on the proposed land uses intended by The Wellington Company’s proposed development via a community consultation process. Community consultation was advertised to the community via all Council’s media channels, i.e. including media releases, social media posts and comments, newspapers, community connection, email distribution to Levin Town Centre newsletter subscribers, posters in the Civic Building foyer and Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō. Online submissions were accessible via Let’s Korerō, Council’s digital platform, and hard copies of submission forms were available in the Civic foyer and Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō for members of the community that do not access a computer.

12. The period of consultation was open for four weeks from 17 February 2025 to 17 March 2025 with 339 submissions received. Submissions from the community were received via a mix of online submissions, hard copies and email feedback. All submissions and feedback are attached to this report for reference, noting that all personal information has been removed for privacy reasons.

13. The questions asked of the community and the responses received were as follows:

13.1. Do you support the proposed concept for the Levin War Memorial Hall?

Yes – 218

No – 113

No response – 1

Other/Non-conforming response - 7

13.2. Do you support the proposed concept of a Village Square?

Yes – 216

No – 114

No response – 2

Other/Non-conforming response - 7

13.3. Do you support the proposed concept of housing being reintroduced to this area?

Yes – 117

No – 213

No response – 2

Other/Non-conforming response - 7

14. An overall count identifies the majority of submissions were in favour of change the proposed development with 551 supporting the whole or some elements of the proposed development, and 440 opposing the whole or some elements of the proposed development.

15. Officers conducted a Sentiment Analysis on all comments provided throughout the submissions. The comments about the Levin War Memorial Hall Proposed Redevelopment reveal a diverse range of opinions, reflecting enthusiasm, concern and conditional support among respondents. The community appears divided between those who see the project as a chance to modernise and revitalise Levin and those who prioritise preserving its historical significance and green spaces. Below, the sentiments are categorised into key themes, with specific examples drawn from the comments to illustrate the range of perspectives.

Positive Sentiments: Enthusiasm for Revitalisation

16. Many commenters expressed excitement about the development, viewing it as an opportunity to modernise Levin and enhance its appeal, especially in light of the upcoming Ōtaki to North of Levin Highway bypass by 2029. They see the inclusion of new amenities like a craft brewery, restaurants, shops, and a village square as a way to create a vibrant community hub and attract visitors.

· Support for Modernisation: Comments like "This concept is just what the town needs" and "Now, get it done. Sounds great. Let's modernise Levin!" highlight enthusiasm for updating the town’s infrastructure and aesthetics.

· Economic and Social Benefits: "Revitalising the village square with a combination of community spaces and houses will bring benefit to all Levin, and greater Horowhenua, residents" and “Levin needs something like this, it'll be a catalyst for the town.” suggests a belief that the development could boost local activity at no cost to ratepayers.

· Specific Features Praised: "Looks great! I’m picturing the area to look like Christchurch CBD apartments. Horowhenua is missing a craft brewery, will be good to have this and modernise the area", and “The redevelopment of this building is a brilliant idea and will bring a new sense of life to an already well-lived and well-loved building by many. Fully support this” shows excitement for specific elements like the brewery and housing.

Negative Sentiments: Concerns About Loss of Green Space and History

17. A significant portion of the comments oppose aspects of the development, particularly the sale of the Village Green and the Levin Memorial Hall to a private developer, the inclusion of housing, and the potential loss of community assets. Preservation of green space and the hall’s historical significance as a war memorial which opened in 1956, are recurring concerns.

· Opposition to Housing: "No housing in the area, could create problems" and "I oppose the sale of the Village Green, or the Memorial Hall to any developer" reflect a strong resistance to residential development, with fears of losing open space, change of ownership and altering the town’s character.

· Preservation of Green Space: "Retain the green space" and "Just upgrade the Memorial Hall to earthquake standards. Leave the Village Green how it is. You don’t need to build on every green space" emphasises the value of maintaining the Village Green as a public asset that people want to see retained.

· Historical Integrity: The sentiment that the hall should remain a community space is evident in suggestions like "upgrade the Memorial Hall to earthquake standards" rather than redeveloping it into commercial spaces like a brewery.

Neutral Sentiments: Cautious Support with Conditions

18. Some comments offer balanced perspectives, supporting the development in principle but raising practical concerns or suggesting alternatives. These respondents want more information or assurances about how the project will address community needs and impacts.

· Need for Clarity and Transparency: "Primarily, I would like to see the Council’s financial projections regarding the sale of the property and land", and "Will Council put caveats in place with the developer to ensure the proposed design does go ahead as agreed?" indicate a desire for transparency and accountability.

· Community Impact Considerations: "It’s important to understand the current use of the piece of land, how the proposed changes will impact existing users, and what alternative arrangements can be made" shows a thoughtful approach to balancing development with existing community use.

· Alternative Suggestions: "There aren’t many halls in Levin to be able to hold big community events and conferences. Is it possible to still make the hall the size it is with a better stage and sound system?" proposes enhancing the hall’s current function rather than fully redeveloping it.

Key Themes and Specific Issues

19. Several recurring themes emerge across the sentiments:

· Loss of Green Space: The potential reduction of the Village Green is a major point of contention, with comments like "Village Green to me means keeping some grass!" and "the current open green space gives opportunities for many different activities - proposed change removes almost all of them" underscoring its perceived value.

· Housing Debate: Opinions on the proposed 18 apartments vary widely. Supporters see it as a way to increase vibrancy ("Having housing closer to the centre of town along with a restaurant could dramatically improve the safety and feel of the area after dark"), while opponents argue it’s unsuitable ("Don’t think housing is suitable there" and "A definite NO to the apartments - they would take up by far the majority of the land available").

· Craft Brewery Controversy: The brewery divides opinion. Some view it positively with comments such as, "Sounds like a brilliant use of the space", while others worry about alcohol-related issues, "We do not need a Craft Brewery when people are struggling with the cost of living and encouraging people to have more access to more alcohol".

· Skate Park Concerns: The skate park’s fate is frequently mentioned, with questions like "The skate park is important to the town. Is it being retained and how do housing and skate park go together?" reflecting its importance to the community.

· Community Engagement and Iwi Inclusion: Comments like "I fully support this initiative, which presents a significant opportunity to forge an inclusive future" highlights a desire for equitable consultation and recognition of local iwi.

Overall Sentiment

20. The comments reflect a community at a crossroads, eager for progress but protective of Levin’s heritage and open spaces. Enthusiasm for revitalising the town centre is tempered by significant apprehension about losing the Village Green, altering the Memorial Hall’s purpose, and introducing housing and a brewery. There is a clear call, if this development goes ahead, that communication on the progress of this project is community-focused, respects the town’s history, addresses practical concerns like parking and infrastructure, and preserves assets like the skate park.

21. The following outlines an overall summary of the social media engagement and comments received during community consultation:

Our Social Media Post on the – 18 February 2025 https://www.facebook.com/HorowhenuaDC/posts/pfbid02Z4q8S4TQ6jZAvh9KEGYFsFGxkJ7JQ77zUpv8wNaSMHJx3o8WEedRHCPVoTMnF5X4l

With views: 67,599

Reach: 18,752

Interactions: 468

Link clicks: 286

Comments: 274

Shares: 45

Common Themes

Support for Development:

· Positive feedback on revitalising the area with new amenities.

· Suggestions for including arts hub, performance spaces, and community facilities.

Concerns Raised:

· Opposition to the inclusion of apartments.

· Concerns about the impact on existing green spaces and skate park.

· Questions about the developer's identity and transparency in the process.

· Worries about increased rates and the financial burden on ratepayers.

· Requests for prioritising basic infrastructure improvements like water and sewage.

Conclusion:

The consultation period for the Levin War Memorial Hall proposal generated significant engagement, with a mix of positive, neutral, and negative sentiments. Key concerns revolved around the inclusion of apartments, financial implications for ratepayers, and the preservation of community spaces. Positive feedback highlighted the potential for revitalising the area and enhancing community facilities.

The following table identifies the age demographic of the responses received.

Age Group	Number of Responses
0-17	5
18-24	11
25-34	52
35-49	85
50-64	76
65+	80
Blank/Not disclosed	21

22. The following table identifies the areas where the submitters live.

Where do people making submissions come from?
Levin	274
Foxton	5
Foxton Beach	3
Waitarere Beach	4
Shannon	7
Ohau	12
Tokomaru	0
Mangaore	0
Hokio Beach	1
Waikawa Beach	1
Manakau	3
Palmerston North	2
Kapiti	3
Other/Not disclosed	13

23. The formal submission form included a section for submitters to provide further commentary to support or expand on their views. Submitters also had the opportunity indicate if they would like to present their submission to Council via zoom or in person. 20 submitters have indicated they would like to present their submission to Council.

24. It is noted that some of the submissions received throughout the consultation process have not fully read or understood the consultation material provided to them. Some comments received were criticising and blaming Council that rates would need to increase to pay for the redevelopment, whereas the consultation material specifically outlined that the properties would be sold as a private development opportunity, and therefore would be no cost to the ratepayer. Others assumed that the Skate Park was being removed from the town centre, despite specifically stating the Skate Park is staying, and if it was to be relocated, two other sites had been identified within the town centre. Another misconception that was identified throughout the submissions was that Council own The Levin Mall, and there were comments on why this site was not taking precedence for the opportunity for redevelopment due to its current state.

25. Other concerns expressed included fears that the developer may buy the land and then not deliver the proposed development or ‘land bank’ and delay the development. Should Council decide to sell the Levin War Memorial Hall and Village Green properties to The Wellington Company Limited, commercial negotiations would include for the Wellington Company to provide a completion date for the redevelopment, theoretically by the end of 2029, but an exact date would be confirmed once a decision had been made by Council and a Development Agreement would be entered into. This development agreement would identify key milestones that need to be met within specified timeframes and provide certainty for Council that the properties were not purchased for a developer to land bank and sit idle for a lengthy period of time, and therefore not delivering on the Levin Town Centre Strategy. The option for Council to buy back the properties at the price they were sold for if the development was not undertaken. These are similar commercial terms that Council has used for other properties involving comparable development in the Town Centre, the sale of the land for the Heath Hub facility being one example.

Confirmation of statutory compliance

In accordance with sections 76 – 79 of the Local Government Act 2002, this report is approved as:

a. containing sufficient information about the options and their advantages and disadvantages, bearing in mind the significance of the decisions; and,

b. is based on adequate knowledge about, and adequate consideration of, the views and preferences of affected and interested parties bearing in mind the significance of the decision.

Attachments | NGĀ TĀPIRINGA KŌRERO

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Record of Submissions - Re-imagining Levin War Memorial Hall	26

Council

26 March 2025

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