We're proposing to build an Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) on part of Lytton West Reserve.
We asked neighbours and the community for your feedback - we received 41 submissions.
How the ECC will be used and why it's needed
Currently Tairāwhiti Civil Defence doesn't have a fit-for-purpose coordination centre.
The proposed ECC will provide a facility that will be set up and ready to be activated for emergencies by the Tairāwhiti Civil Defence team and emergency response partners.
An ECC is not a community emergency shelter or food storage facility but a place where emergency services gather to manage any situation when an emergency requires it to be activated.
Outside of emergencies it will not be permanently staffed or used day-to-day, but it may be used to host workshops and training.
About the building
It will be single storey building approximately 266m2 in size. There will also be 18 onsite car parks. Storage may also be provided.
Sensor lighting will be included as part of the development and sited so light doesn't spill beyond the centre location. Security cameras will be installed and the alarm will be monitored by a security company.
Existing trees on the reserve will remain with additional trees planted as part of the development.
Why Lytton West Reserve?
The reserve is the preferred location for the ECC as it’s close to the hospital and its helipad. The reserve is also outside the flood and tsunami inundation zone.
Other locations were considered and Lytton West Reserve was seen to be the most appropriate and feasible.
Under the Reserves Act 1977, the centre is required to be located on the south-eastern or city-side of the park.
The proposed location on the reserve also ensures a large portion of the open space nature of the reserve and the playground will be maintained.
The eastern side of the reserve also allows the centre to link into the surrounding commercial landscape.
