skip to main content
Site banner
Site banner
Become a Supporter

Heritage at risk

Heritage advocates are alarmed by a survey run by the Wellington City Council that could result in the removal of heritage protections in Mt Victoria.  Jane O’Loughlin reports.

Mt Victoria residents are among those being asked about their views on heritage areas, so that the Wellington City Council can draw up a list of properties that could be delisted.

A heritage survey was posted directly to owners of houses in heritage areas throughout the city and closes on 2 April.

The consultation has not been promoted on the council’s community engagement page, however anyone can make a submission.

The survey asks homeowners whether they have experienced any challenges related to owning a property in a heritage area, and whether the heritage area has had a positive or negative impact on the value of the property.

Joanna Newman, chair of the Mt Victoria Historical Society said her group had “serious concerns”.

“The new District Plan was declared operative less than a year ago, after almost four years of consultation and Independent Hearings.Mount Victoria lost all its character protection with the exception of what remained in newly created Heritage Areas.

“Yet already WCC is working to demolish the Plan.If owners elect to remove their properties, Heritage Areas would be rendered meaningless – if the ‘eyes’ are picked out of the Area, it loses its special character.”

Mt Victoria has heritage precincts around Moir Street, Armour Avenue, Porritt Avenue, Elizabeth Street and Hawker Street.In addition, the suburb holds around 30 heritage buildings or structures.

The origins of the survey started in March 2024, when a group of councillors attempted to remove 10 buildings from the schedule of heritage buildings in the District Plan review.This was rejected by the Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, due to the lack of evidence. However Bishop promised to do what he could to make the process easier in the future.

Councillor Ben McNulty then looked for other avenues to remove buildings from heritage listings, and asked council staff for advice on a district plan change to remove or amend protections for heritage buildings, structures and areas using the streamlined planning process in the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025.

However staff advised councillors to wait, as future legislative changes underway would likely to make the process easier.

Instead, councillors agreed to a plan to survey people about their views so a list could be drawn up in preparation.

Newman said the approach created a number of inequities.

“An owner at a particular point in time - maybe owning the property for less than a year - could chose to have their house removed. This negates the fact that it may have stood for over 140 years and been valued for its heritage by previous owners, and removes the option for future owners (and the city) to enjoy it.”

More information on the survey.

 

OTHER STORIES

 

... loading ...
 
 
 

 


NEWS BRIEFS – May

Caretaker’s cottage to go

The caretaker’s cottage at Victoria Bowling Club will soon be removed.

A condition of the club’s lease with Council, approved in 2022 was that the club-owned building should be removed at the club’s cost.

The Wellington City Council said that once removed, the area will be reinstated as green open space within the club’s leased area on the Town Belt.

The Mt Victoria Residents’ Association had asked the council whether the building could be reused for public toilets.  

However, the council said after looking into it, that due to the building’s location, the cost to retrofit it, and safety considerations, it was not considered a suitable option.

No thump from the bumpless hump

Alterations were made to a pedestrian crossing outside Clyde Quay School after noise concerns were raised by nearby residents.

The raised crossing had been installed last year to encourage drivers to slow down, but in recent months further work was carried out to make the hump less pronounced, by lengthening the approach to the raised section on both sides.

A parent of a student at Clyde Quay School who did not want to be named said he thought the original design was better in terms of safety: "If it's not as steep cars will continue to go fast."

A spokesperson for Wellington City Council said the work was “in response to an enquiry from a local building corp concerned with some noise associated with the gradient of the ramp.”

“Footpath and road maintenance in the area coincided with this work to ensure efficient use of traffic management while limiting impact on corridor users.”

Walk this way

An example of a ‘hotspot’ where cyclists and walkers can collide. 

An example of a ‘hotspot’ where cyclists and walkers can collide.  

Three sections of track on Matairangi-Mt Victoria may be designated ‘walking only’ following a review of safety on the maunga.

The Wellington City Council set up a process to look at establishing walking only tracks in 2022 following concerns about clashes between walkers and cyclists, and safety issues with downhill mountain bikers cutting across tracks.

As a result of discussions and analysis council staff identified 15 ‘hotspots’ and made recommendations for each, ranging  from closing the track, to changing the designation or making other safety improvements such as better signage.

The 15 safety improvements put forward include three changes to make sections of tracks ‘walk only’, one to designate a section ‘uphill biking only’ and one to close an unnamed track.

Council staff have shared the recommendations with their working groups and are now aiming to deliver a Council Committee paper in June 2026, which will have an opportunity for oral submissions.

Collision on Austin Street

Wet weather led to a collision on Austin Street in April.

According to a police officer at the scene, a car heading up Queen Street hit a car on Austin St.  The car that was hit ended up swerving into a tree on Austin Street.  No one was hurt.

 
Do NOT follow this link or you will be banned from the server!