Proposed Chinese garden would have 'minor' impact on park view, architect says

Wednesday, 21 March 2018

The view towards Frank Kitts Park and Mt Victoria from the intersection of Lambton Quay and Willeston St. Waterfront Watch says this will be spoiled by the proposed Chinese garden.

Wellington's proposed Chinese garden would have only a 'minor' impact on views towards the popular park where it would be situated, an urban design specialist says.

The proposed $5 million garden, part of a planned $10.5m revamp of Frank Kitts Park on Wellington's waterfront, is facing legal challenges from lobby group Waterfront Watch and former Greater Wellington regional councillor Michael Gibson.

A Wellington City Council image of the 'view shaft' from Willeston St. An urban designer told an Environment Court hearing in Wellington on Wednesday that any impact on the view caused by the garden would be 'minor'.

Among the concerns raised about the enclosed garden are a loss of open green space, and an impeded view towards the park from the 'view shaft' at the corner of Lambton Quay and Willeston St on Wellington's 'Golden Mile'.

The view shaft looks towards two focal points: Frank Kitts Park and St Gerard's Church and Monastery in Mt Victoria.

The $5m Garden of Beneficence is part of a proposed $10.5m revamp of the park.

* [Safety concerns over proposed garden

The proposed garden would take up 3000 square metres of the 18,000sqm park, towards the top of the image.

*](https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/102420007/safety-concerns-raised-over-proposed-chinese-garden-at-wellingtons-frank-kitts-park) Chinese garden deemed 'provocative'

* Controversial garden goes on backburner

* Watchdog plans to bury garden plans

Graeme McIndoe, a director at urban design firm McIndoe Urban's Wellington office, told an Environment Court hearing on Wednesday the proposed garden would have only a minor impact on the view from Willeston St.

McIndoe was part of a technical advisory group that reviewed the proposal for Wellington City Council, ahead of its resource consent hearing in 2016. The resource consent was subsequently granted.

'There is a gain and a loss,' he said of the impacts of the proposed garden on the Willeston St view.

'By my estimation, the extent of Frank Kitts Park in view is decreased by about 20 per cent, but the view of St Gerard's is increased by the same amount.

'There will be a stronger edge to Jervois Quay. However, the effect on the view is minor, and is mitigated by the beneficial changes that occur elsewhere.'

Those benefits included the 'opening up' of the view towards the Oriental Bay escarpment, helped by the proposed removal of the park's amphitheatre and a pohutukawa tree, McIndoe said.

The Chinese garden would also provide a more 'memorable element' to the view down Willeston St towards the park and Wellington Harbour, compared with what was currently there.

Architect John Hardwick-Smith, director of Wellington company Athfield Architects, also said any effects the garden might have on current views would be minor, and would be outweighed by other benefits.

However, when pressed by Waterfront Watch lawyer Morgan Slyfield, Hardwick-Smith acknowledged he had assessed only the north-south aspect of the proposed view, not east-west.

When asked by Slyfield if walls, such as the ones proposed for the garden, had the effect of 'breaking up space', Hardwick-Smith said the primary purpose of walls was to 'define' space.

Hardwick-Smith was involved in the early stages of the park redesign concept.

Under the proposed revamp, total green space at the 18,000-square-metre park would drop only slightly, from 6659sqm to 6477sqm.

However, that was primarily because planted areas would increase from 655sqm to 2802sqm.

Flexible lawn space would increase, but 'limited use' lawn space would dramatically decrease.

Waterfront Watch is appealing against the decision to grant the proposal resource consent on three grounds.

They are that the garden fails to protect or enhance the Willeston St view shaft, despite it being protected by the city council's District Plan; open space amenities will be significantly reduced; and current issues with the park, as well as proposed improvements, have been 'greatly exaggerated'.