Contentious Golden Mile project saved as Wellington Council cuts hundreds of millions from 10-year works programme
Tuesday, 26 November 2024
Wellington City Council has agreed to cuts in its 10-year plan that it’s thought could save up to $400 million.
Meeting on Tuesday, councillors voted to keep a contentious upgrade of downtown Wellington’s Golden Mile spine.
Spending of $1.8 billion on water infrastructure was also retained, as was a project to upgrade social housing.
Wellington City councillors have retained the contentious Golden Mile upgrade project, while making other cuts to the city’s 10-year works programme that are expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars.
The council was left having to find cuts after deciding in October not to go ahead with a proposed sale of its 34% shareholding in Wellington Airport.
After a lengthy meeting of the council on Tuesday to work out what to cut, Mayor Tory Whanau issued a statement saying she had ensured the Golden Mile transformation remained in the 10-year Long Term Plan.
Retaining the project, which will essentially provide more space for bicycles and pedestrians, and less for cars along downtown Wellington’s retail and entertainment spine, was carried by 11 votes to seven.
Other projects retained in the Long Term Plan were:
A record $1.8 billion investment in water infrastructure.
Public and active transport improvements including a new Harbour Quays bus route.
Library and community upgrades including nearly $100m to complete and reopen our central city Library Te Matapihi.
Real climate action, with initiatives to degasify our pool network and reduce waste going to landfill that will decrease up to 10,000 tonnes of emissions per year.
Upgrading our social housing so tenants have the safe and warm homes they deserve.
Funding over $70m to improve our central city and suburban parks and spaces, including the Green Network Plan and suburban centre upgrades.
To address the insurance risk left by the decision to keep the airport shareholding, it was proposed the following projects would be cut, rephased or rescoped:
Begonia House
Bond Store upgrade
City Streets transport funding
Karori Events Centre
Te Ngakau Civic Square
Venue upgrades
Frank Kitts Park redevelopment
Otari Landscape Plan
Zoo glamping development
Te Awe Mapara Community Facilities Plan
A council spokesperson said it was thought the changes would probably produce savings of $380 million to $400 million over the 10-year life of the plan, but the final outcome was subject to further work.
The proposed cuts would be further considered at a meeting of the council’s Long Term Plan Committee on December 17.
Whanau said that while making reductions to the capital programme had been challenging, she was confident it struck the balance of addressing the city’s insurance risk while investing in the future of Wellington City, nature, housing and transport.