New housing development for Karori’s old teachers’ campus

Wednesday, 30 April 2025

The former Wellington Teachers' Training College site in Karori which was to have been developed into a retirement village by Ryman could now be 172 homes.

Resource consent has been applied for a new housing development of 172 dwellings for Karori’s old teachers’ college.

The application went to the council on April 15 and asks consent for land use and subdivision for a housing development of 172 dwellings with associated earthworks, and infrastructure.

In March a demolition consent was lodged with Wellington City Council for the remaining buildings on the former teachers’ college site in Donald St.

The old campus went up for sale in August last year.

The Post understands the consent names both Ryman Healthcare, which was selling the site, and Gibbons Co ‒ a privately owned luxury property development company that specialises in residential and commercial properties.

Victoria University had paid the Crown $10 for the campus in 2014 but sold it to Ryman for $28 million in 2017.

Initially Ryman had proposed a $320m retirement village with a hospital and dementia care facility, and had already demolished some of the historically significant buildings on the 30,000m² site.

But it pulled out of the project in May last year.

Karori residents had tentatively hoped something other than more housing would be planned for the site, perhaps a badly needed new high school, market or business or medical centre.

Wharangi/Onslow-Western ward councillor Diane Calvert said it was great news, especially for first home buyers and those looking to downsize. She understood each home would have its own parking and small garden area.

Calvert said along with the 20 townhouses to be built on the empty site on the corner of Campbell St and Karori Rd it would revitalise the area around the town centre.