We use three numbers in this document to talk about cost. Each one answers a different question. Here is what they mean and how they fit together.

Total upfront cost

This is the total the Council would spend to build each option. It adds up land, building, design and the cost of moving staff. It then takes off any money from selling buildings we no longer need.

Think of it as the price tag.

Long-term cost (NPV)

This is the full cost of each option over its whole life in Council's use, shown in today's money. It adds the upfront cost plus running costs, like land rent and day-to-day bills. It also takes off money we could get later, like selling buildings we no longer need at a future date. NPV stands for net present value. It lets us compare options that spend money at different times, so an apples with apples comparison. All options use the same assumptions.

Think of it as the whole bill, in today's money.

Cost on your rates

This is the amount on an average home's yearly rates bill that goes to the Civic Hub project. It has two parts: the part already in the Long Term Plan, and the extra that depends on which option is chosen. It covers the interest, funded depreciation and land rent for the project. It does not include other running costs, which stay much the same whichever option is chosen. The figure shown is the peak year. It then drops year on year as the debt is paid off.

Think of it as your share of the Civic Hub project.

Why is the long-term cost sometimes lower than the upfront cost?

The long-term cost takes the upfront cost and adds future running costs. Then it takes off money we could get later, like selling buildings we no longer need at a future date. Money in the future is worth less than money today. A dollar in 30 years is worth less than a dollar now, so future amounts are made smaller to match today's value. This is why the long-term cost can be lower than the price tag. It is not a discount. It is the full lifetime cost, shown in today's money.

What is already in the Long Term Plan?

The Long Term Plan 2024–2034 includes $68.4 million* for the new Community Hub, Library and Civic Space. The options available to us each cost more than was estimated when the Long Term Plan 2024–2034 was put together. That extra amount is on top of the baseline already in the Long Term Plan. That baseline is $207 (incl. GST) in its peak year. How much extra depends on which option the Council chooses. This will be the total cost to your rates.

These numbers are estimates. They are independent estimates by Rider Levett Bucknall (RLB) and Willis Bond, based on December 2025 prices. They allow for design and building risks but not future inflation. The final price is not known until the chosen option is designed and a builder hired; rising prices will be managed through future plans. All project costs exclude GST; all rates figures include GST.

* Inflated capital expenditure in years 2028/29–2030/31.