A place to swim and gather, where heritage buildings that have stood empty are open and busy again, and where getting to the water is easy for all ages and abilities — this is Nelson City Council's Haven Waterfront Masterplan.

"This exciting project is about connecting our city to the sea and creating an iconic waterfront precinct for people to enjoy," says Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.

The masterplan does not make any decisions but sets the direction of travel for the waterfront and will inform future design decisions and budgets. It's built around four pillars: the pathway, Council-owned buildings, access to the water, and public spaces and businesses.

"Imagine stepping off the eBus and immediately being directed away from the State Highway, walking your way down a slow, family-paced footpath, down the already developed Friendship Walk towards the large Aotearoa mural,” says Waterfront Taskforce Chair Mel Courtney.

“You grab a coffee from the café that now sits within the old NCC Electricity Building, then sit down on concrete steps leading to the water as your children swim and kayak — that feeling is what this masterplan is trying to capture."

The pathway is the plan's first priority, built first and cost-effectively. A wide, shared path runs the full length of the waterfront, designed for slow, family-paced visits rather than commuting, moving people away from the highway's trucks and adding safer crossings to the water.

"Getting to the waterfront matters," says Courtney. "The plan reshapes carparking with no loss overall, in fact, we're looking at adding around 50 extra parks, more accessible parking, and EV and bike charging."

Council owns the three heritage buildings within the masterplan area, and each one raises a different question: the Anchor Building is earthquake-prone and stands where the path needs to go; Custom House is Nelson's last surviving port hotel and has multiple possible futures; and the NCC Electricity Building is the single biggest project in the plan with the potential to become the heart of the waterfront.

Stage 1 considers repairs and strengthening the Anchor Building. The question being put to the public is; how far to go? Simply open the path, or bring the whole building back into use?

Four options are on the table for Custom House, from maintaining the building so it cannot deteriorate further through to a full restoration or removal. Again, no decision has been made.

The NCC Electricity Building is centrally placed and could include toilets, changing rooms, a café or restaurant, maybe office space above. Its mural and substation are set to stay. Step outside the building, and you're at the new steps into the sea.

"These buildings have sat empty for too long," says Mayor Nick. "This is our chance to bring them back to life."

Right now, getting into the sea at the waterfront means picking your way over rocks, but the plan proposes to change that with new steps straight into the water, and buoy markers to keep the swimming area safe. The boat ramp is refreshed too, launching kayaks, waka and other non-powered craft. The old wharf, too deteriorated to save, gets a new life of its own — reshaped into a home for birds and sea life.

"Picture a plaza between Custom House and the Anchor Building," says Courtney. "Markets on the weekend, events in summer, or just somewhere to grab an ice-cream and sit in the sun."

Small, low-cost tenancies are proposed for galleries, artisan retailers and cafés, alongside food trucks and concessions. Council also wants to hear from anyone who might want to lease, run or invest in space on the waterfront.

Together, these changes are what "unlocking the Haven Waterfront" means: a path that gets people there, buildings that give them a reason to stay, and a sea that's easy to reach. None of it happens at once, and none of it is decided — that's why Council wants to hear from Nelson before it goes any further.

"This is a once-in-a-generation chance to get our waterfront right," says Mayor Nick. "We've got proposals and now we want Nelsonians to have their say and help us shape how we develop this stunning natural feature for everyone to enjoy."