 In 2005 the Ministry for Culture and Heritage worked with the NZ Transport Agency to acquire land on the northern side of Buckle Street, in front of the National War Memorial, to create a National Memorial Park.On 7 August 2012 the government announced Buckle Street section of State Highway One was to be moved underground via a 'cut and cover' tunnel beneath the Park, allowing the Park to extend over the road and up to the National War Memorial creating a unified National Memorial precinct.The park is designed to house memorials from New Zealand's military allies.