Frequently Asked Questions | The Eden Project New Zealand

FAQ

What progress has been made to date?

There are four distinct stages to the process so far:

Stage 1 was an orientation visit by Eden Executives from the UK in July 2015. This stage evaluated whether the idea has the potential to be successful. This included a review of:
- What is the proposed central theme, its relevance, regional importance and wow factors?
- Is the location of global relevance and importance?
At the completion of the visit it was agreed between Eden Project UK and the Eden Project NZ Trust that the project has potential and further investigations should follow.
Stage 2 involved a visit in February 2017 by the Eden designers to commence the preparation of a concept in collaboration with the Matapopore Charitable Trust, Landscope Design Lab (Lincoln University) and EOS Ecology. The draft concept plan, which has now been completed and is what is shown here, has been designed to include experiential, spatial and ecologically integrated planning.
Stage 3 involved a pre-feasibility study to determine the potential for a successful project. This was completed by Horwath HTL, a tourism consulting company based in Auckland. The study has been partially funded by the Tourism Growth Partnership at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. The study has indicated that the project can be financially sustainable.
Stage 4 involves a robust financial analysis based on the finalised concept that will incorporate capital and operating costs, the likely business model, funding options and potential visitor attendance levels, etc.

Who will pay the capital cost?

At this stage we are focussed on ensuring that the idea has potential, that the community is supportive of it and that the business case is robust. Once these aspects are confirmed we will be investigating a broad range of possible funding options. These will include public and private funding as well as sponsorship and philanthropic funding support.

Why is Eden UK involved in a New Zealand development?

The Eden Project UK is unique in a number of ways
– the site and the development of it; its purpose and what it stands for; the overriding support from the community; the impact it has had on Cornwall; its success.
Eden Project UK has partners in other parts of the world including China, USA, Canada and Ireland. Besides its success as a visitor attraction, it has a wealth of knowledge (IP) in respect of the development and operation of a large scale tourism and social enterprise business. If we wanted to do something similar to the Eden UK Project in Christchurch without their assistance, it would be extremely difficult, costly and financially risky.

How much will it cost for people to visit?

As an example the Eden Project UK currently charges GBP£25.00 (approx. NZ$48), while the Antarctic Centre charges NZ$59 for an adult visitor, and a number of other major New Zealand visitor attractions charge around NZ$70 per adult entry. Eden Project NZ will need to be competitive with other New Zealand attractions. An alternative to comparing costs is to look at value in terms of how long visitors spend at an attraction. The Eden Project UK has an average stay time of over four hours. We expect our project to have a similar visit time.

Will there be incentives for the local community?

The Eden Project UK offers many incentives for a wide range of visitor types, and we will endeavour to adopt similar schemes at Eden Project NZ:

Incentives for over 60s, students, children (5–16), children under 5 (free) and family tickets are built into the operational model.
Annual pass; bring a friend for free.
By making a gift to Eden Project NZ at the same cost as a normal entry price admission is free for a whole year.

What are the attraction experiences?

A ‘living stage’ to explore how a 21st century city can thrive within its natural environment.
Immersive installations, fantastical playgrounds, interactive storytelling & habitat regeneration.
Multi-sensory experiences of the natural world to inspire wonder & awe.
- Installations that will bring the history of NZ landscapes to life: raining lava rooms, rising/falling tectonic playgrounds, enchanting subterranean forests, and calving glaciers.
- A captive NZ rainforest of old, where historic birdsong, moa & the Haast eagle still reign.
An intimate performance space & programme to engage & entertain.
Productive indoor & outdoor gardens featuring unforgettable landscapes & seasonal horticulture.
A range of trails that will reveal how histories & symbols are embedded in landscapes, and celebrate forest lore.
Iconic architecture inspired by hīnaki (woven eel trap).
Elemental play spaces for all ages.
NZ & local produce served up in cafes site-wide.
The opportunity to stay at innovative, eco-friendly accommodation.
Opportunities for craft & enterprise workshops..

How will this development benefit Christchurch and NZ?

Since the earthquakes Christchurch has lost many visitors, both domestic and international. The city is no longer a must-see destination. EPNZ will therefore benefit Christchurch and NZ in the following ways.

An international quality attraction such as the Eden Project NZ will generate an increase in international visitors to New Zealand and Christchurch.
It will act as an anchor project around which other attractions, complementary developments and visitor services can cluster.
It will add quality to the visitor experiences (domestic and international) and stimulate growth for wider accommodation, transport, recreational services and events.
A source of regional employment, enjoyment and public pride.
There are 2,500 suppliers to the Eden Project UK, most of them locally based, and it is anticipated that there will also be a significant number of local suppliers for Eden Project NZ.
Eden Project UK employs over 400 staff, and over 3,000 jobs have been sustained locally. It is anticipated that a similar number of new jobs will be created in Christchurch and the wider economy.
It will provide iconic buildings that will be ‘drawcards’ in their own right.
It will have a very positive impact on the local and New Zealand economy. A pre-feasibility study based solely on the generation of new domestic and international visitors (excluding construction and operating costs) is estimated to generate an additional NZ$27.1 million in 2020 growing to NZ$48.9 million in 2027.
By developing in the Red Zone it will increase the value of land for government.

Who will own and operate the attraction?

This has still to be decided. Eden Project UK is operated by a company owned by the Eden UK Trust. Eden Project UK have already indicated a preference to manage/operate an Eden Project NZ. This has significant benefits for New Zealand as it brings experienced operators of a similar facility.

How big will the site be?

Eden Project UK covers an area of approximately 40 hectares. The size of the Eden Project NZ will be dependent on the finalised concept and the location for the attraction. Our preferred site is the Avonside Loop, which will cover around 40 hectares for the central attraction area and 70 hectares for the site overall. It will be a large attraction incorporating many interesting elements that will keep people engaged.

Will people have access to the river if the project incorporates land adjacent to the river?

We understand the importance of continued public access along the Ōtākaro/Avon River. The concept plans for the Eden Project NZ respects this requirement.

How will the development affect local rates?

This will depend on how the project is funded. Our model shows that it’s likely that any investment by government or local government will provide an economic return to the community well in excess of any outlays.

Will the ongoing operation need to be subsidised or will it be self sustaining?

Unless the business case confirms that it will be a financially viable and sustainable the project will not proceed. There are different ways of achieving financial viability. Eden Project UK has a number of revenue streams including visitor related income (entry fees, retail, food and beverage etc), hire fees, grants, donations and gifting.

How has the Eden Project NZ benefitted from funding and resource provision to date?

The involvement of the Eden Project NZ trustees has been on a voluntary basis. Funding for the visits by the UK team (in 2015 and 2017) and concept development work has been funded by Rata Foundation, Landscope Design Lab (Lincoln University), Matapopore Charitable Trust, EOS Ecology, Eden Project UK and Christchurch International Airport Ltd. The pre-feasibility study was supported by a grant from Tourism Growth Partnership (managed by MBIE) and ChristchurchNZ. Other organisations, companies, and individuals have also helped us along the way with in-kind support.

If you can't build houses on this land, then how can you build structures as large as those required for this project?

The areas where we have indicated buildings, is land that has been identified as being more suitable for structures (as opposed to areas closer to the river that are not). The large hīnaki buildings that we are proposing will embrace innovative technologies that can create large structures that sit lightly on the land. For example, the giant steel biome super-structures at Eden Project in Cornwall, UK actually weigh about the same as the air inside them! There is an interesting article on resource efficient building technologies based on biomimicry that is worth reading: http://www.diplomatmagazine.com/biomimicry-solutions