CLARENCE Street is about to get a $2 million facelift.
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The upgrade of footpaths, parking, kerb and guttering, lighting and underground infrastructure will be paid for by the Town Centre Master Plan (TCMP) budget which includes funding from a special business rate paid by CBD property owners.
Port Macquarie-Hastings Council mayor Peter Besseling said on Sunday, the area of Clarence Street between Hay and Munster streets is the next expansion area of the CBD.
It's a matter of fitting this area of town into the CBD Master plan, Mr Besseling said.
The decorative footpaths which currently end at the Port Macquarie Museum and on the opposite side of Clarence Street at the Port Macquarie Historic Courthouse, will be continued along Clarence Street to the intersection with Munster Street.
Parking will be moved to the centre of the street on either side of the Murray Street intersection, but nose in parking will be retained near the museum and courthouse and at the Port Pacific and Macquarie Waters buildings.
"It ties town more together rather than the simple focus of the CBD right in the heart of town," Mr Besseling said.
"What we're talking about is aligning it all to make this area more beautiful well into the future.
"It's not just about the here and now, it's about the future of the area and making sure we've got the parking that's appropriate - it's a lot easier for people to get in and out of centre parking, and it spruces up this whole area."
Mr Besseling said the CBD Master Plan sub committee, which celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, uses funds from a special rate levy invested for the beautification of the town into the future.
"So this money that's being spent ... doesn't come from anywhere else in the local government area and it's not out of general funds.
Mr Besseling said council takes advice from the CBD Master Plan sub committee, which includes property owners and community members, on which areas to be worked on to fulfil the master plan which has been adopted.
Council infrastructure and asset management director Jeffery Sharp said the new look intersection at Murray Street will replicate the look and feel of the Horton and Clarence Street pedestrian plazas.
"One of the key priorities is to remove barriers to people walking around the whole CBD, which will have a flow-on benefit to all businesses in the vicinity," he said.
Council expects the project will take about eight months to complete, with stage one starting on June 1.
Part of the project will include removal of four pine trees, one box brush tree and some Cocos palms which will be replaced during stage two.
"We know there's going to be inconvenience, unfortunately that's the nature of this ... that's part and parcel of progress," Mr Besseling said.
"We appreciate everyone's care and attention to that and their patience."