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Planning Tawa town centreEarlier this year we consulted with local residents and businesses about the town centre’s future. Here we present potential options for improving the town centre.

Issues identifiedThe town centre suffers from:• poor performance: several vacant shops, and issues retaining and

attracting businesses• being dull and lacking character• environment: vehicle speed and heavy traffic conflict with making the centre

attractive for shoppers and visitors.

Potential improvementsThe improvements presented are grouped by aim:• strengthen identity• improve public spaces• manage traffic

Tawa town centre now

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CAMBRIDGE STREET

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Tawa Plaza

Main Road

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Create gateway features at town centre entrances

Light landmarks such as trees or buildings

Add colour throughout the centre

Help improve shop fronts, verandahs and signage

All potential improvements

Upgrade the space in front of the Plan.B building

Raise pedestrian crossings

Reconfigure the Essex Street access

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TAWA MAIN ROAD

Plan.B

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TABCatholic Church

Pink Pineapple

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New World

Create a new roundabout

Formalise pedestrian crossings

Raise and plant the central median

Close the lane next to The Pink Pineapple

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Strengthen identity Manage trafficImprove public spaces

Concept plan

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Graphic Devices

Strengthen identity

4 Help improve shop fronts• We can support improvements to

verandahs and signage; including consistent colours and styles for the centre.

2 & 3 Lighting and colour• We can add lighting to landmarks such as

trees or buildings

• We can add colour with planting, flags, murals and other devices.

1 Create gateway features• We can create visible gateway features

at either end of the town centre, such as artwork, planting or signage

• We can change pavements, planting and other street features.

Example of a gateway feature at Cambridge Street roundabout

Zephyrometer: gateway artwork near Wellington Airport

Example of feature lighting trees Local mural and colour improvements

Consistent signage can improve shop fronts Examples of improved shop fronts

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Improve public spaces

5 Upgrade the space in front of the Plan.B building

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Verandah edge

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- Re-focus on Tawa Plaza:

paving, planting, seating

- Raised median with

planting

- Decorative lighting

- Raised pedestrian

crossing

- Closure of lane into back

of supermarket

- Widening of footpaths

corners of Essex St

- Bus stop moved to

corner of Essex St

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VEHICLESPLANTED

MEDIAN

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TREES

PAVED AREA PAVED AREA

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Cross-section: raised pedestrian crossing, plaza and footpathPlan for Tawa Plaza area

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- Re-focus on Tawa Plaza:

paving, planting, seating

- Raised median with

planting

- Decorative lighting

- Raised pedestrian

crossing

- Closure of lane into back

of supermarket

- Widening of footpaths

corners of Essex St

- Bus stop moved to

corner of Essex St

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VEHICLESPLANTED

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VEHICLES NEW

TREES

PAVED AREA PAVED AREA

RAISED CROSSING

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TREES

Existing Tawa Plaza

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- Re-focus on Tawa Plaza:

paving, planting, seating

- Raised median with

planting

- Decorative lighting

- Raised pedestrian

crossing

- Closure of lane into back

of supermarket

- Widening of footpaths

corners of Essex St

- Bus stop moved to

corner of Essex St

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VEHICLESPLANTED

MEDIAN

VEHICLES NEW

TREES

PAVED AREA PAVED AREA

RAISED CROSSING

NEW

TREES

• Extending the Tawa Plaza to create a better public space may involve new paving, seating, lighting, planting and possibly closing the lane next to The Pink Pineapple. This will create a sheltered and sunny public space.

6 Raise the pedestrian crossing• Raising the pedestrian crossing betweeen the Plaza and Essex Street side will improve

connections, slow the traffic for pedestrians, and signal the ‘heart’ of the centre.

7 Reconfigure the Essex Street access• Changing the kerbs and planting trees at the Essex Street intersection will improve

pedestrian amenity and safety.

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Essex Street corner Main Road Tawa Plaza

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Manage traffic

Example of raised pedestrian crossing Traffic management: improved traffic flow with roundabouts

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xPOTENTIALS

8 Create a new roundabout• A new roundabout at the Main Road and Surrey Street junction would help

slow traffic and make it safer for Surrey Street traffic to turn north.

9 Create formal pedestrian crossings• Pedestrian crossings would make movements safer and help reduce

vehicle speeds.

10 Raise and plant central median• A raised central median reminds motorists to drive carefully through the

busiest part of the town centre, and helps create an attractive environment.

11 Close the lane next to The Pink Pineapple• Closing this lane would re-direct traffic from Main Road, and remove

vehicles from the pedestrian hub around the plaza, including the possible new space.

Example of planted median