The first Liebig Street stage, estimated at up to $10 million over four years, was given a tentative green light by the city council on Monday night when a draft concept plan was adopted for the section from Raglan Parade to Koroit Street.

Detailed designs will now be drawn up, including some of the hundreds of community suggestions, and costings calculated.

The revamp includes widening the footpath, narrowing the road and slowing the traffic to improve pedestrian safety and make the street more attractive.

Further work will be done on relocating the taxi rank and finalising an overall parking strategy.

Some misgivings have been aired on whether a broader menu should have been offered rather than just an entree.

The state government architect threw out a challenge to think wider and several councillors this week also wondered if the first stage was too narrow.

However, city growth director Bill Millard, who has been involved with the revamp concept since discussions started in 2007, said “we have bitten off a piece that is reasonable”.

“It’s always been about trying to find what you can deliver in the timeframe,” he said.

“Consultation and development of the plan has been a big task and handled well.”

The northern and central sections of the street had been identified as priorities in earlier vision statements.

Mr Millard said the council had allocated $1m to start the rejuvenation and the government could be expected to match it on a two-for-one basis.

“A broad-brush estimate is $8-$10m over three to four years,” he said.

According to city renewal manager Tanya Egan, the final streetscape plan will be completed by the end of the year including location of public art, street furniture and lighting.

Subject to funding, tenders are likely to be called in the first half of next year.

Cr Jacinta Ermacora said if the council could work in unity on this issue then government money would flow.

“Take a small bite first and see how we go,” she said.

“We are going to be brave enough and do it.”

Cr Peter Hulin, who was on the planning consultative committee, said designers had “absolutely nailed it”. However, later in the meeting he described the scale of the plan as mediocre and too small. 

“On our funding scale it gives us 32 years to get to the end of the CBD,” he quipped.

Cr Hulin said crumbling asphalt footpaths, damage by plane trees and dilapidated buildings should have been addressed.

His comments drew a rebuke from Cr Kylie Gaston, who said she was disappointed in his negative commments.

“This is no doubt a learning curve and we’ll all need to work together,” she said.

Councillors Peter Sycopoulis and Brian Kelson also said a larger section of the CBD should have been incorporated into the first stage plan and wondered if the council had shot itself in the foot by not “aiming for the stars”.