Montgomery Square

Several goals of the Heart of Nelson Strategy are fulfilled in the plans for the Montgomery Square carpark:

  • Enhancing our public places with high-quality development
  • Managing parking
  • Positioning the City Centre as a shopping and visitor destination

What's planned for Montgomery Square

  • Develop 'pocket park', including the Bank Lane connection from Trafalgar Street
  • New plantings for improved shading and amenity

Latest news

April 2011

The High Court issued an order on Thursday 21 April preventing Council from letting the tender to carry out the work on the planned upgrade for Montgomery Square. This means the project will not be completed in time for Rugby World Cup 2011.

The Court decision hinged on the special circumstances around the change of use for the car park, which the Judge said generated the need for additional consultation. Council will now reflect on the implications for the future of the Montgomery Square project and make a decision on how to progress it in due course.

March 2011

Tenders for the construction work have been advertised and the intention is to start building after Easter.

24 September

Revised plans for the Heart of Nelson Strategy upgrade to Montgomery Square were presented at the Council meeting on 23 September.

Councillors gave a unanimous seal of approval to the new layout, which will see no reduction in current car park numbers while retaining and proposed pocket park green area.

Strategic background

Why are these plans being carried out?

The Heart of Nelson Strategy identified a lack of a high amenity outdoor setting for passive recreation, socialising and play within the CBD, and designated Montgomery Square as an area suitable for meeting this need. In addition, poor tree growing conditions in Montgomery  Square and lack of shade required improvements.

Montgomery Square is the most appropriate location for ths inner city 'pocket' park, providing a place for rest and relaxation while supporting local business with attractive, people-friendly features that create a lively atmosphere and invite a more-extended stay.

What options were considered?

Attractive outdoor setting for recreation and socialising
  1. Do nothing
  2. Development of a pocket park and associated design interventions including suitable stormwater management and opportunities for people to rest at Montgomery Sq
  3. Development of a pocket park along the eastern edge of Wakatu Sq
  4. Combination of points 2 and 3 above
Recommended action

  • Developing a pocket park in Montgomery Square (option 2)

Additional Plantings
  1. Do nothing
  2. Replace all trees from Montgomery and Buxton Squares with more suitable species
  3. Provide shade canopies around external edges of Montgomery and Buxton Square
  4. Take an engineered approach involving widely space raised tree pits, complementary rest areas and planting new trees
Recommended action
  • Take an engineered approach involving widely space raised tree pits, complementary rest areas and planting new trees (option 4)

Find out more

You can find out more about  this project and the Heart of Nelson Strategy.

Download the Heart of Nelson Strategy (6.4MB PDF)