'We're not Hollywood' - plans to pedestrianise capital's Golden Mile facing further opposition from retailers

Wednesday, 16 September 2020

Three proposals revealed earlier this year to revamp Wellington's Golden Mile have caused controversy.

Plans to revamp Wellington’s Golden Mile have attracted further opposition from retailers, with at least 45 Courtenay Place businesses standing against the project.

The revamp, which proposes removing private vehicles from most or all of the central city thoroughfare, was meant to be one of the “quick wins” for the $6.4 billion Let’s Get Wellington Moving (LGWM) programme.

But the plans are facing staunch opposition from businesses, who were not directly consulted during the development of three proposals revealed in June.

Taco Queen owner Lainie Antonio says plans to remove car parks in favour of public transport, pedestrian, and cycleway space will be devastating for her business and others.

Public feedback has not yet been released, but one submission seen by Stuff reveals 45 businesses in the Courtenay Place precinct alone have voiced their opposition to the plans.

* Wellington business owners worried Golden Mile plans will be 'disastrous' for retailers

Just one of the three proposed options would retain private vehicle access on Courtenay Place, but access to side streets would be removed. (File photo)

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The proposed revamp would convert the central city thoroughfare into a pedestrian, cycling and public transport space. (File photo)

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Others are also opposed but missed the deadline to add their names.

The move follows concerns raised by several Lambton Quay retailers in July, and revelations LGWM board members met twice that month to discuss problems with the public feedback process.

The most radical option would cost almost $80 million and remove up to 200 car parks. (File photo)

Taco Queen owner Lainie Antonio said plans to remove car parks in favour of public transport, pedestrian, and cycleway space would be devastating for her business and others.

“We’re not Hollywood. We don’t have the capacity to close down a whole street from Cambridge Terrace all the way to [Lambton Quay], and side streets like Blair, Allen and Tory streets.”

The LGWM programme aims to reduce traffic congestion between Wellington Airport and Ngauranga Gorge, but Antonio said she had never seen congestion on Courtenay Place.

She worked 12-hour days, starting as early as 5am and finishing as late as 11pm.

Antonio had clients from across the lower North Island, many of whom had told her they would go elsewhere if they had to park further away from her business.

LGWM said there were about 70 commercial properties on Courtenay Place. (File photo)

“I need people to come out of their suburbs, I need people to come out of their homes. This is a massive concern.”

The lack of consultation with businesses made the proposals feel like an “ambush”, she said.

“[LGWM] is quite interested in public perception of their great idea, but they forgot about asking business owners about how that will cater to our needs, and it doesn’t.”

The Golden Mile revamp will cost up to $80 million and remove up to 200 car parks between Wellington Railway Station and Kent/Cambridge Terrace.

Former lawyer Barry Wilson put together the businesses’ submission, under the banner Save our Street (SoS), after being approached by several retailers.

He spent 140 hours gauging opinion from business owners, many of whom did not speak English as a first language.

The submission included comments in languages including Mandarin, Vietnamese, Khmer, Malay, and Arabic.

They were included as a “lesson in engagement”, with just four of the businesses reporting being aware of the proposals, Wilson said.

One of the three options would retain private vehicles on Courtenay Place, but remove access to Blair, Allen, and Tory streets, and lower Taranaki St.

“Closing off Tory St would be absolutely catastrophic.”

LGWM programme director Andrew Body said public consultation was extended by two weeks following requests for more time and “more flexible ways” to make submissions.

The initial feedback period attracted 1571 website submissions, 200 emails, and 371 Facebook comments.

It was promoted via radio, social and digital media, pop-up events, letter drops, community meetings, and targeted outreach to some groups.

LGWM visited all Golden Mile retailers during the extension period, and met with SoS several times, Body said.

“SoS did let us know that English was not the first language for a number of their members, which is an important learning for our future engagements.

“We would like to thank SoS for helping us liaise with their members and for their detailed submission.”

There are about 70 commercial properties on Courtenay Place.

A final Golden Mile proposal will be revealed later this year.