One of the problems that the local government hopes to eridcate with the Korovou new town extension is the traffic congestion.
According to the Local Government senior engineer and project manager Israr Ali at the stakeholder workshop for the Korovou new town development on Wednesday March 31, most of the parking spaces which were available were by the roadsides and a lot of congestion happened because of this.
He said one of the things they wanted to iron out in their project was to have roadside parking or offsite parking.
“The leased area where the proposed town centred is to be situated remains undeveloped and has been previously used for farming. “The project aims to diversify the trade and business network.
“Of course we are looking at GDP, and economics is the core of it and we note at this time for example the Nausori Town has a commercial business such as Rups Big Bear. “So those kinds of businesses are needed because people no longer need to commute.”
He said this would also be an opportunity for residents in the vicinity to secure employment in the town itself.
“Getting the services to their doorsteps and providing employment it’s going to be a vertigo effect on all of us and again the rural to urban drift will be curtailed.”
Mr Ali said they would try to get the essential services in for the people of Korovou by starting off with the redevelopment of the Korovou market itself. He said the current market was not in a good state.
There was a need for a new market and of course the overcrowding which happened because of the parking issue along the roadside which they wanted to now move away from.
He said near the proposed market and parking site would be a commercial site which could be run by the local authority or the council whereby people who wanted to start off new businesses could rent out. “Also we allowed for residential development and apartments.
“Phase two and three where we want to develop more shops and offices. “We would like to have the PPP to go through the development for the community.”
The production of scheme plan and carrying topography survey would cost an estimated $50,000.
The environment impact assessment study was estimated at $50,000 as well however with the hydrology study which was needed the cost was expected to be higher.
The further documentation which might be required with the geotechnical report, engineering drawings, supervision of works, preparation of civil works specifications and contract was estimated at $280,000.
Mr Ali said the civil works on the subdivision was needed to be developed above the existing road level was estimated at $1,971,850.
The market building could be an estimated 50 per cent of the development size of the Rakiraki market bringing the cost to $2.3 million.
With the final survey and other relevant documentation the estimated cost of the entire project was around $4.7m.
