Green light for Shelly Bay redevelopment after council votes 9-6 in favour

Wednesday, 11 November 2020

The proposed development includes new housing units, shops, and a boutique hotel, among other things. (File photo)

Wellington City councillors have given the green light to the controversial Shelly Bay redevelopment, voting 9-6 after an eight-hour-long marathon session in favour of allowing the project to proceed.

The decision is a major blow for Wellington mayor Andy Foster, who centred his election campaign last year on stopping the $500 million development on the Miramar Peninsula, and to the film mogul and local Sir Peter Jackson, who supported him.

The decision is a blow for Wellington Mayor Andy Foster, who centred his election campaign on stopping the $500 million development, with support from filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson. (File photo)

Foster last night called the decision “sad” and “flying against the majority of Wellingtonians.” He reiterated his preference for two ongoing legal challenges to be settled before the council made a call on the land sale.

Shelly Bay, on Miramar Peninsula in Wellington, has caused all manner of strife as developers push to turn it into a $500 million development.

* Jackson and Walsh warn councillors heading to D-day Shelly Bay vote

* Shelly Bay still faces roadblocks, however Wellington City Council votes

(From left) Catherine Love, Anaru Jenkins Mepham, and Hirini Jenkins Mepham urge Wellington City councillors not to sell the land before the crucial vote on Wednesday.

It is the second time councillors have voted to sell the land. A 2017 decision in favour was put to another vote after Enterprise Miramar, a local business association, challenged a resource consent.

Wednesday night's vote followed hours of heated public submissions, during which several protesters opposing the development heckled the speakers and were kicked out for repeatedly yelling from the public gallery.

Some protesters at the meeting yelled cries of “land theft' as submitters spoke to councillors before the vote.

The decision means the council will sell 0.3 hectares of land and lease a further 0.6 hectares for the development, which is a joint venture between the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust, representing local iwi Taranaki Whānui, and developer Ian Cassels’ The Wellington Company.

But the vote doesn’t mean the project is completely in the clear. It is still the subject of two separate legal challenges, which could affect the final plans.

That was not enough, however, for councillors to decide against divesting its land for the project, which would dramatically transform disused Air Force land on a prime, waterfront patch of the peninsula and create 350 new homes.

Joining Foster in opposing the sale were Deputy Mayor Sarah Free and councillors Iona Pannett, Sean Rush, Malcolm Sparrow and Simon Woolf.

Foster told councillors shortly before the vote, and following the debate, that he was “disappointed with where some of you have landed”.

“There are not many things I’ll lose sleep over, but this has definitely been one of them,” he said.“There is a lot of passion and a lot of emotion … and I suspect we’ll be flying against the majority of Wellingtonians with the decision I expect we’re about to make.”

But councillor Jill Day said it was imperative the council voted in favour of the sale to honour the commitment it made in 2017.

“Our leadership here today will demonstrate if we are a city open for business, or if we are a city that sets pathways with traps,” she said. “How will people have the confidence to do business with us?”

Courts are currently reviewing the council’s decision in 2017 to grant resource consent for the project , while a separate legal battle is ongoing between Mau Whenua and Taranaki Whānui over the sale of iwi land proposed for the development.

Mau Whenua is a group of Taranaki Whānui members opposed to the sale of iwi land at Shelly Bay.

Jamie Tuuta, a trustee for the Port Nicholson trust, said the development was a key part of the wider Miramar Peninsula, which also took in Watts Peninsula and Mt Crawford.

“We see an opportunity for Taranaki Whānui on Motu Kairangi [Miramar Peninsula] in terms of amplifying not only our cultural footprint, but also opportunities around marea development, around cultural centres, around being able to tell those layers of history in that story relating to Motu Kairangi,” he said. “Secondly, there are potential opportunities around affordable housing.”

The councillors who voted in favour of the sale were Day, Diane Calvert, Jenny Condie, Fleur Fitzsimons, Laurie Foon, Rebecca Matthews, Teri O’Neill, Tamatha Paul and Nicola Young.