Wellington Council pushes pause on Golden Mile project

Thursday, 20 November 2025

Wellington’s Golden Mile project has been paused while the city’s council reviews the costs associated with it.

The first full Wellington City Council meeting of the new term sat on Thursday, where councillors voted to launch a review to ensure a “clearer financial picture of the project”.

The independent review would test whether the existing project remains viable and aligned with its original objectives in light of significant cost and risks escalation.

New Wellington mayor Andrew Little said the review would take three to six months and cost between $200,000 and $400,000.

It would include an economic analysis of both the project’s long-term impacts and the short-term impacts across the full corridor from Lambton Quay to Courtenay Place.

In making the announcement, Little said it was apparent the council no longer had a clear picture of the project’s costs.

“The review will provide up-to-date information, so that decisions on the future of the project are based on the most current costs and the real and likely cost to council,” he said.

“The project estimates are now several years old, the project cannot be delivered within the existing budget and the risk for ratepayers to be stuck with expensive, inflexible contracts is simply too great.”

Little said he had been “consistent” in supporting the Golden Mile project in principle, but also reiterated his commitment to Wellingtonians that the new council would get a “much better handle” on finances.

“The review does not relitigate the benefits of the Golden Mile project, and as such will maintain the project’s current level of central government support,” he said.

“Although the government has agreed to fund 51 per cent of the project, that was based on a business case done four years ago. Meanwhile, Council is potentially on the hook for any cost escalations. That’s why we need this review.”

The Golden Mile project was announced in 2022 as part of former Wellington mayor Tory Whanau’s campaign.

The project was due to refurbish Wellington’s main retail and commercial strip that runs from the Parliament end of Lambton Quay, along Willis and Manners Streets, and then to Courtenay Place.

Construction began on the Courtenay Place section of the project in April, despite the project facing criticism over a cost blowout.

As reported by The Post, the project, initially a expected to cost $78m in 2020, had grown to $220m as of Wednesday.

Businesses along the route have expressed opposition to the project, largely due to disruption and a lack of vehicle access to their businesses.