Buller Cultural and Community Hub

The Buller District is one of the most deprived areas in the South  Island community services presence – and a greater dependence on community organisations to deliver key services. On average, if you have less money, there is a higher chance that you will experience poorer outcomes in education, employment, income, health and housing.

Alongside this, the Buller has a small rateable base, which creates a substantial gap between the high demand for community services and Council’s ability to support them. The Buller Cultural Community Hub projects seeks to provide a financially self- sustaining response to delivering much needed public and community services in a co-ordinated and efficient way.

The community hub model is a well-tested and self-sustaining approach to delivering integrated public and community services. The model is based on a community-led umbrella body building and holding the Hub asset and then leasing out spaces for community use, the rent paid by community organisations then supports the operation of the building in a virtuous circle.

Through community ownership of the Hub, the amount of rent required will be lower than commercially owned space, meaning that more community organisations can afford to have a base in Westport to serve the Buller District, (and those that are here already, can afford to stay).

Co-location enables key public and community organisations to work together more effectively – the project team will generate better efficiencies through this cost-effective approach, there will be less duplication, and the project team will develop strategic partnerships to deliver services.

There are not just benefits in the delivery of social services, the model is based on community organisations working directly with mainstream health and education providers to actively support people into better health outcomes and employment and training opportunities.

The proposed approach is based on breaking down barriers to people accessing help and opportunities, creating good quality public open space in a central location, a place where people want to be, a place where community events can be held, and everyone is welcome.

Download a summary of this information as a pdf here

Excellent progress is being made with the feasibility study for the Buller Cultural Community Hub. Until November 2023 the project team has:

• Continued to focus on the purpose of the Buller Cultural Community Hub – providing a ‘one gateway’ approach to services for the community.
• Continued to consult widely with stakeholders and potential project partners to understand who will use the Hub and why.
• Worked on an agreed tentative inside and outside layout for the new facility so that the project team knows how much space the hubs will need.
• Signed Memoranda of Understanding with key organisations – and with more to come.
• Completed bulk and location drawings for each of the shortlisted sites along with indicative cost estimates.
• Begun the process of developing a concept of what the Hub might look like.
• Further refined plans for managing the completed facility, by investigating options to create a Trust to manage the design, construction and operation of the Hub.

The project continues to be supported by a dedicated team of key organisations, including Homebuilders West Coast Trust, Te Ha O Kawatiri, Buller District Council, Ngati Waewae and Buller REAP.

The feasibility study is nearing completion, the final report, which is expected to be completed by the end of December 2023, will scope the accommodation needs of the project, identify a preferred site, and recommend operating models for the new facility.

The project team have submitted funding applications to continue project development into the concept design phase.

The Hub’s project group continue to work with multiple project partners and stakeholders to refine the requirements of the internal and external layout.

This primarily layout and understanding the needs of potential users will help to understand what spaces are needed and how they need to be organised. This information also helps to understand what is important to people, and what the look and feel needs to be.

To meet demand, the Hub will include flexible meeting and training rooms, tenanted office space for local community organisations, flexi/shared office space for community organisations who are based outside of Westport, whanau/family support spaces and māra kai/
gardening facilities.

At this stage, the project team still expect that the hub will need around 1,300 square metres of built area along with at least 1,000 square metres of outdoor space.

From a long list of 21 sites, the team have considered a short list of three viable sites for a Cultural Community Hub. These sites have been selected based on their proximity to the community, flood resilience and ease of development. All three are in Westport town centre and
each site is owned by a key project partner.

Massing drawings have been prepared for each of the three sites along with indicative development costs to allow the project team to identify the most suitable option.

This project seeks to address immediate community needs in the Buller District, but alongside this the Buller District Council will ensure that the Hub’s site requirements are encompassed into the Council’s long-term urban development plans.

The professional team have worked closely with community partners to understand project needs and financial realities. The terms of the funding do not allow to complete design work yet, but the project team has developed an outline idea of how they think the Hub will work.

The current outline concept is based on creating a village of raised pods across a single site, linked by covered walkways with good quality open spaces for everyone to enjoy.

This plan will enable the project partners to work side by side and share facilities, while at the same time allowing them their own space and ensuring confidentiality. The concept will be able to deliver the project’s space requirements quickly and cost effectively.

The other key benefits of this approach are:

• The Hub will be more welcoming that a large institutional building and have potentially lower operating costs.
• Flood resilience, the team will have raised buildings with quality soft landscaping to facilitate good site drainage.
• Scaling – the team can easily scale the project depending on the availability of funding, and it will also be easier to adapt the village as demands change.
• The team can create a true community asset with publicly accessible open spaces, including play and picnic areas, with enough space for food trucks and events.

Key project partners are developing plans to form a Trust to oversee the design and development of the new facility, to manage fundraising and to operate the Hub once it is complete.

The project team is working to creating a Trust board with the right skills and experience to lead through the project delivery stage and to grow the governance structures for the new facility.

The project team are working on finalising our accommodation requirements and selecting a preferred site option. By the end of this year, the team will have a draft feasibility study ready for consultation with project partners.

The feasibility study will include three key reports:

• Strategic briefing document – why the project is needed, who is involved, how much space do we need.
• Site selection report – outlining our site selection process and identifying a preferred site option.
• Operating model report – providing recommendations on how the Hub might operate, what staffing might be needed and outlining the next steps for our Trust.

Fundraising is already underway so that the project team can begin the concept design process early in 2024.

The primary aim of BCCH is to establish a safe, inclusive space, that welcomes everyone and serves as the central access point for Buller's community services. 

BCCH has a vision to support and meet the community's diverse needs, encompassing access to welfare, well-being, health, social services, education, budgeting, advice, advocacy, community legal guidance, parenting, youth support, cultural assistance, and more. 

The project group includes Homebuilders West Coast Trust, Te Ha O Kawatiri, Buller District Council, Ngati Waewae and Buller REAP.

By working together, the BCCH can work to an overarching vision, delivering a strategic, consistent approach to providing social services for the people of the Buller.  Sharing resources means that each organisation is not in direct competition for funding or for clients, but instead can work to provide complementary services, to improve health, welfare and education to the people in our district, within a single operational framework. BCCH can share resources and costs, to ensure efficiencies and ultimately better services for our community. 

Everyone. BCCH will be a culturally inclusive and accessible space for all people.  We want people to feel welcome, respected, supported and included.

The BCCH Development Group has been developing the feasibility study since the beginning of 2023, working with public sector and community organisations throughout the district to understand needs and objectives.  BCCH now understand broadly how much space is required and what needs to be achieved from the site selection work.  BCCH also have developed an outline concept of what the Hub might look like and how it will function.

The BCCH Development Group are currently working on finalising the accommodation schedule, quality attribute requirements and selecting a preferred site option for the feasibility study.  The feasibility study is scheduled to be completed by the end of December 2023.  The BCCH Development Group are also fundraising now, for the next stage of concept design work.  The BCCH Development Group will form a BCCH Trust to take the feasibility study and agreed project goals forward, refining the strategic plan, business plan, legislative responsibilities and operating model.

Feedback will help the BCCH Development Group determine the next steps.  All feedback received via the BCCH website will be reviewed by the BCCH Development Group and responded to in a timely manner.  BCCH Development Group will update the BCCH webpage and the FAQ’s on a regular basis, to help keep the community informed.

The feasibility study will include three key reports:

• Strategic briefing document – why the project is needed, who is involved, how much space do we need
• Site selection report – outlining the site selection process and identifying a preferred site option
• Operating model report – providing recommendations on how the Hub might operate, what staffing might be needed and outlining the next steps for a BCCH Trust to be established.

The feasibility study will not only help us understand how much this project will cost to deliver, it will also help to understand how we can deliver the project and who we need to involve. Feasibility studies are also often a prerequisite for funding from mainstream funders.

Excellent progress is being made with the feasibility study for the Buller Cultural Community Hub. Until November 2023, the project team has: 

• Continued to focus on the purpose of the Buller Cultural Community Hub – providing a ‘one gateway’ approach to services for the Buller community
• Continued to consult widely with stakeholders and potential project partners to understand who will use the Hub and why
• Worked on an agreed accommodation schedule for the new facility so that we know how much space will be needed
• Signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU’s) with key organisations and stakeholders. This work is ongoing. 
• Completed bulk and location drawings for each of the shortlisted sites, along with indicative cost estimates
• Begun the process of developing a concept of what the Hub might look like
• Further refined our plans for managing the completed facility, by investigating options to create a Trust to manage the design, construction and operation of the Hub
• Continued fundraising efforts, to support the establishment of a BCCH Trust and the concept design phase to progress in early 2024

Socio-economic benefits of our approach:

• The community hub model is a well-tested and self-sustaining approach to delivering integrated public and community services, there are many examples not just in New Zealand, but all over the world.
• The model is based on a community-led umbrella body, building and holding the Hub asset and then leasing out spaces for community use, the rent paid by community organisations then supports the operation of the building in a virtuous circle.
• Through community ownership of the Hub, the amount of rent required will be lower than commercially owned space, meaning that more community organisations can afford to have a base in Westport to serve the Buller district, (and those that are here already, can afford to stay).
• Co-location enables key public and community organisations to work together and develop a strategic partnership approach, supporting better efficiencies, less duplication and a cost-effective approach to providing a wider range of community services.
• There are not just benefits in the delivery of social services, our model is based on community organisations working directly with mainstream health and education providers to actively support people into better health outcomes and employment and training opportunities.
• The BCCH approach is based on breaking down barriers to people accessing help and opportunities, creating good quality public open space in a central location, a place where people want to be, a place where community events can be held, and everyone is welcome.

The BCCH Development Group does not have accurate cost estimates at this stage. Costs will be available once the detailed design plans have been finalised, following concept design.

Several years.  It’s too early to provide a concise timeframe.  The BCCH Development Group need to fundraise to deliver this project, and the funding is the biggest influence on how long the project will take to realise.

Once established, the Buller Cultural Community Trust will take the BCCH project forward, into the concept design phase, hopefully in early 2024.  The Trust will then work with the BCCH stakeholders and the community to develop the concept into final design and ultimately the construction of the BCCH facility.

Talk to the project team via email bullerculturalcommunityhub@gmail.com

Your feedback is important to us. Give your feedback via email to the Project Manager.