The New Brighton Residents Association caught up with Grant MacKinnon today at Switch Cafe to chat about his much anticipated development on the old school site.
I came away thinking current and future residents within our suburban paradise will be very happy with what is planned for the space, from the point of view of bridging the gap from historical batch to modern design. The most encouraging news is the engagement of not just one, but two reputable and creative architects to be responsible for different parts of ‘Seaview’, hence ensuring variety along the brief of a ‘New Brighton style’.
Grant’s company, the DGM Group have a long history of developments in Christchurch, particularly around the city centre over 26 plus years.
The significance of DGM in New Brighton is, Grant is one of the first of the established property developers to turn his attention to our eastern suburb.
Why?
“The time is right, the location is perfect, the City Council wants it to happen, and I love New Brighton having lived in Sumner for years and a love of coastlines.”
“In fact I have been eyeing up other parts of New Brighton once this is complete.”
I was privy to the draft lay-out plan and can say it looks really good, however there is quite a bit of work to be done in the third and fourth stages before it becomes public, and DGM will be consulting and looking for feedback from locals about those. The old dental building at the school is to become a show room where plans and scale models will be available as soon as can be managed.
Grant will be the guest speaker at the New Brighton Residents Association AGM on Wednesday June 2nd at the Penguin Arms (depending on numbers interested), and talking a little about ‘Seaview’ and also about buying ‘new’ housing in general.
The project on the old school section will be staged, not be completed all at once and the initial reports of 65 houses was off the mark, there is in fact 74 and as Grant indicated, it could have been 100, but he is really keen on good yard space and community green spaces.
The Roy Stokes Hall is going to fit perfectly into the well-being of ‘Seaview’, it will be an important lively hub for a great number of people, managed and owned by the people.
Both Grant and the New Brighton Residents Assn agree, the increase in residents will be the catalyst for the revival of the Mall, and this is the proof some of those land-owners will see for putting hands in their investment pockets soon.