Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau rejects Andrew Little’s call to ‘hold off’ on progressing Golden Mile
Tuesday, 29 April 2025
Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau has pushed back on Andrew Little’s comment that it would be “unwise” to make new commitments on the controversial Golden Mile project, saying work will continue until she leaves.
Hours after turning the sod to launch the first phase of the $116 million project that aims to transform the central city, Whanau announced she would not seek re-election, saying that Little entering the mayoral race had “changed the game”.
Speaking to Stuff on Monday, Little said while he had no plan to “rip up” existing Golden Mile contracts, the council would be “unwise” to enter any new agreements before October’s council elections.
“I think that the Golden Mile project has the potential to be incredibly disruptive at a time when business conditions are very fragile. I think we just need to hold off until there's confidence restored in the city,” Little said.
“Given that there is a still-contested mayoral race, they would be very unwise to enter new contracts, making new commitments, to bind a new council after October this year,” he said.
“I think [officers] need to respect that a new council may take a different view, and should not enter into any significant or material obligations.”
While Whanau said Little was “a great politician”, who could make a “very fine mayor”, she was firm about the Golden Mile’s trajectory.
“I respect his view, but he's not an elected member,” she said.
“I've been tasked with delivering on the Courtenay Place precinct. Delaying that project even further will only add more cost to something that we desperately need.
“[Little] doesn’t have a vote around the table yet, so I will be continuing on what I promised I would deliver.”
Whanau hopes to secure next phase of Golden Mile before exit
The project is to be delivered in phases. Contracts have been signed for work on phase one, at Cambridge and Kent terraces.
However, the second phase, a two-year schedule of work on Courtenay Place, is yet to be rubber stamped.
Whanau was hopeful this would be signed off before she stepped down.
“I can't speak on behalf of [council] officers, but I feel confident that if there are no delays… that we can get one of the next contracts signed before the election.”
Golden Mile aims to reshape the city
The Golden Mile project aims to revitalise Wellington's main commercial corridor, the city stretch from Courtenay Place, through Willis and Manners streets to Lambton Quay, by enhancing pedestrian spaces, improving public transport, and upgrading infrastructure.
The $116 million project is jointly funded by the council and New Zealand Transport Authority/Waka Kotahi (NZTA). Changes include banning private vehicles during daytime hours, adding a cycleway, widening footpaths, adding new seating and outdoor dining areas, more trees and gardens, and replacing slippery pavement with safer granite tiles.
The first phase, changes to the Cambridge and Kent terrace intersection at the start of the Golden Mile, will take around eight months.
After that ‒ pending contract sign-offs ‒ a 2-year period of work would begin on the rest of Courtenay Place, with wider footpaths, outdoor dining areas and improved lighting above ground, and problematic water pipes replaced below.
NZTA committed to the funding in 2023. Any changes in the project’s timing or scope would require their sign off.
Courtenay Precinct spokesman Jeremy Smith, director of hospitality company Trinity Group, agreed with Little that we should have a “step back and a rethink”.
“We need to breathe. This has been pushed through, we have 10 half finished projects that have cost us a lot of money that need to be finished.
“Borrowing money for a new project is not right at this point in time.”
Shutting down sections of Courtenay Place would hurt local businesses, who were “hanging on by their fingernails”.