A major eight-storey hotel and apartment complex is set to reshape central Nelson, bringing 108 new rooms and apartments into the heart of the city.
The development, planned for the former bus hub site on Bridge St, is expected to boost inner-city living and strengthen tourism capacity, with construction slated to begin in 2027.
Nelson City Council approved the sale of 25-27 Bridge St to Safari Group in October 2024, following a call for expressions of interest aimed at projects that support city centre revitalisation and increased residential living.
The development will include 54 hotel rooms and 54 residential apartments and is expected to significantly increase the number of people living in Nelson’s city centre, while adding new visitor accommodation.
Final details of the agreement were signed last month. The site is currently being used by Isaac Construction, with work expected to begin after completion of the Bridge to Better project.
City revitalisation taskforce chair Pete Rainey says the scale of the development reflects growing confidence in Nelson.
“The scale of this project reflects confidence in Nelson’s future. Council is investing in our city, and we’re now seeing that confidence matched with action from the private sector.
“In making substantial investments like the $78 million Bridge to Better project, we were looking to strengthen our city centre and attract private sector investment. This new development from Safari Group is a tangible example of that strategy coming to fruition and will also provide a boost to our tourism sector.
“When council sought expressions of interest for this site, we were looking for developments that would support a more vibrant city centre and increased residential living. Safari Group's proposal stood out for its ambition and its alignment with our vision for the future of the city centre.”
Safari Group managing director Rob Neil says the company has been eyeing Nelson for some time.
“Nelson is a city we have been looking at for a number of years, so we are grateful for the opportunity to make this project a reality.
“We look forward to working alongside Nelson City Council to deliver a development that will contribute to the city's growth and provide new accommodation options for both residents and visitors.”
Nelson Mayor Nick Smith describes the project as a gamechanger for the city’s revitalisation.
“It will be the largest new building in Nelson’s CBD for many decades and will substantially increase our accommodation capacity for tourism and events as well as increasing the number of people living in the central city,” he says.
“This new hotel and apartment complex has only been made possible by the relocation of the bus hub to Millers Acre and the infrastructure upgrades of the Bridge to Better project. We have had previous proposals for multistorey developments in this part of the city, but they could not be progressed because the water and wastewater infrastructure did not have sufficient capacity.
“Safari Group has a great track record of delivering similar developments in cities such as Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Christchurch and Queenstown.
“I wish to acknowledge the council and Safari teams, particularly council chief executive Nigel Philpott, for the work that has gone into securing this important development for our city.”
