About 500 people have made submissions on Invercargill City Council's $100 million-plus Roadmap to Renewal, most at the eleventh hour.

The council plans to hike rates and take on debt to pay for a range of big ticket capital projects over the next 10 years. 

Key projects include the $20m city centre masterplan project, the $52m Southland Museum and Art Gallery project, the $1.8m Bluff Boat Ramp renewal and other Bluff tourism projects, and the $1.5m Surrey Park Grandstand renewal. 

There's also the $9.4m Rugby Park renewal, the $4.9m city centre urban play space, the $17.6m Arts and Creativity Invercargill project and the $8.2m additional pool at Splash Palace. 

ICC will pay $112m towards these capital projects over the next 10 years under the plans, supported by external funding.  

The roadmap also outlines the infrastructure investment plan for the next 30 years.

Consultation on the 2021-31 Long-Term Plan closed on Monday.

Most of the submissions were received in the last few days consultation was open, says Council Strategy and Policy Manager Rhiannon Suter.

"We have received about 500 submissions, with most of them generally positive about the Roadmap to Renewal and the projects we have proposed as part of it," Ms Suter said.

Topics covered in submissions varied, she said. 

Many people continued to reinforce the community’s desire to see the museum reopened, while others chose to centre their submissions around proposed changes to the way Council rates.

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"People have shared a range of views on Council’s proposals to change the way we rate, however the submissions overall showed that the community generally has a good understanding of why rates need to increase to help fund the projects Council is suggesting within the Roadmap. 

"We also noted continued concerns about rates affordability."

Staff are still working through the submissions, counting them, and contacting the people who indicated they would like to speak to councillors.

The next step in the Long-Term Plan process will be hearings on May 11 and 12, where dozens of people are expected to speak to their submissions.

Councillors will deliberate at a Performance, Policy and Partnerships Committee Meeting on 18 May, before the final Long-Term Plan document is compiled ready for adoption on 30 June.

LTP Project Champion Councillor Alex Crackett said: "We are so grateful to everyone who took the time to submit their feedback on the Roadmap, so a big thanks from us as Councillors to each of you.

"Your feedback will help us with our discussions and decision-making on how we approach the next 10 years."