Kāpiti Coast councillors have told KCDC staff to look again at the controversial plan for a Gateway to Kāpiti Island.

The councillors and community board members met this week to discuss the Government’s grant of $2 milliion from the Covid-19 Fund for the project; and the next steps forward.

A controversial project

But Mayor K Gurunathan acknowledges the project is controversial — with the community paying the rest of the $4.6m cost of the centre and associated works.

Weighing benefits against costs

And he says it is important that Councillors now carefully weigh up social, environmental and economic benefits of the project, alongside the financial cost.

He says Councillors have told staff to test assumptions behind the business case which supported the Council’s original application to the Provincial Growth Fund.

These includes the question of how the operationing costs of the Gateway centre might be met.

Councillors will also work with staff on a plan to do better on informing the community about the project.

Further information about the Gateway can be viewed on the Council’s website www.kapiticoast.govt.nz.