Demolition of central New Plymouth’s Metro Plaza building will begin on March 2nd, starting a three-stage project to bring daylight back to a section of the Huatoki after almost a century under cover.
The project is part of the Ngāmotu New Plymouth City Centre Strategy to drive a sustainable city centre, which includes the ongoing work to create the West End Crossing shared space in Queen Street and replacing Devon Street's aging alder trees with natives.
NPDC purchased the Metro Plaza in 2019 to make way to a create a greener, more vibrant city centre by opening up the awa as part of a private partnership.
The Metro Plaza, which has covered the Huatoki since 1929, and the will see a public walkway and footbridge across the Huatoki, connecting Devon and Brougham streets, created alongside new developments by K.D. Holdings (KDH) on both sides of the awa.
NPDC General Manager Delivery and Enablement Helena Williams said the city centre is entering a busy period of revitalisation, with the Huatoki, West End and greening projects underway alongside the completion of the TSB Showplace upgrade and the start of exterior maintenance at Puke Ariki Library.
“These projects will help keep our city centre thriving, supporting businesses and drawing more people into the city centre. We’re working with contractors to keep noise and disruption to a minimum and we apologise to businesses and other people in the city centre for any issues this work will cause and thank them for their patience and understanding,” said Mrs Williams.
“The Huatoki project is a first as we’re partnering with KDH, which owns the property on either side of the Huatoki, and Ngāti te Whiti hapū, in our first-ever public-private partnership. Together, we’re supporting the heart of our city as it adapts to changes in the way people live, work and shop, while delivering savings for our ratepayers.”
KDH owner Kevin Doody said demolition is scheduled to be finished in the first half of 2026 and construction of the project was scheduled for completion later next year.
“We’ll aim to keep disruption to a minimum as we create this new Green space and commercial area. Working with our partners, we’ll be able to streamline construction and complete the work safely and efficiently,” said Mr Doody.
Ngāti Te Whiti Hapū spokesperson Julie Healey said opening up the Huatoki reflected Ngāti Te Whiti Hapū values as supported in the City Centre Strategy.
“The awa has great historical and cultural significance for Ngāti Te Whiti and we look forward to bringing its presence back into the city for the community to enjoy,” said Ms Healey.
NPDC purchased the Metro Plaza in 2019 and it has been unoccupied since late last year (2025). The demolition and construction will be carried out by KDH along with the demolition of KDH-owned buildings on Devon and Brougham streets. The Ngāmotu New Plymouth City Centre Strategy was adopted by the Mayor and Councillors of the time in December 2021.
