Better Brighton

Thanks so much for your willingness to spread the word in support of better outcomes for New Brighton.

Seems we have all been expecting the development of a good urbandesign/community plan for Brighton, full of the many ideas which residents have put forward since 1998, and which perhaps can be summarised as:

a healthy, pedestrianised mall, central to a community focused on the seaside environment, a place of coastal arts and hospitality, accessible for all ages, perhaps even a centre for marine, fresh-water and general environmental research, and a showcase for all this and for new & eco-friendly solutions in water and coastal management, shelter, architecture and urban design.

However, the Council has pressed ahead only with the development of the unwanted road, and we understand they are due to start 1 August.

Residents want to develop a community blueprint for New Brighton, to prevent haphazard development, 9 storeys wall-to-wall on the foreshore, and so on. We all want development, change and progress, but against a healthy agreed community urban design plan, not as a result of a covert and unheathy alliance between Council, a few hardline businesses and hungry private developers.

But in the first instance, we need to show that it is not just 'a few hardliners' who are strongly against the unilateral reinstatement of this road, and want the Council to at least stick to its agreement to develop the beach and foreshore first:

– beach park, beach huts, sheltered foreshore picnic area, windbreaks, an arthouse cinema, new playground, new facilities centrally in the mall, and the provision of at least one ‘special amenity’ (eg. such as Hot Saltwater pools).

So, initially, we are organising a mass rally of the people of New Brighton (and of wider Chch) who are opposed to this road ( or at least this road at this time) and see other priorities for Brighton (as above) to be held in the Mall
this Sunday, 24 July, at 12.30 pm

and it would be obviously great if you could encourage the other mothers and mall users and any others you meet to be there and BE COUNTED. We have had a great response so far.

This is to be a positive event, FOR Urban Design, FOR Community Planning, FOR better outcomes for New Brighton.
This will take place rain, hail or shine, as it is very much a huge effort for many people.

I do hope you can be there, and can pass on the call to others.

Many thanks, Jan