Dame Gaylene Preston throws weight behind opposition to Mt Vic development
Wednesday, 7 May 2025
Film maker Dame Gaylene Preston has thrown her weight behind opposition to a high-end apartment development in the Wellington suburb of Mount Victoria, where she lives.
In December it was reported the planned six-storey Mayfair development would be the first built under increased height allowances permitted under a new Wellington City Council district plan, which was partly aimed at improving housing affordability.
The apartment, backing on to the Town Belt, has an outdoor heated swimming pool, sauna, wellness centre, and in-house cafe in plans. An 1800s home off Austin St will be bowled to make room.
'This development will see 5000 cubic metres of Mount Victoria dug up and trucked out,“ Preston said.
'As well as the assault on our maunga, the effect of hundreds of trucks on our tiny streets will be massive and dangerous.
'All this to build a luxury apartment block that will tower over our character and heritage suburbs, blocking sun for nearby residents and doing nothing to address unaffordable housing.'
A council spokesperson said staff were still deciding if the resource consent would be publicly-notified.
Developer Mark Quinn could not be immediately reached for comment on Wednesday but in December said the apartment block was a step towards rejuvenation of a city that had suffered a lot of recent bad news.
He hoped to start development in the second half of 2025 for an 18-month build and said being considerate of neighbours was forefront of mind. The building did not use the maximum land it could and he had taken the “rare” step of volunteering that four immediate neighbours be notified and could object.
“We understand it is confronting for the neighbours,” Quinn said. “This is what the council voted for, this is what the government backed up.”
The development is being opposed by Live Wellington with group member Phil Kelliher previously saying it won’t do any more to save the housing affordability crisis than “trickle down economics” did. It will replace a single villa on a 1472m2 section.
Kelliher said, under the old district plan, it would have been near-impossible to build an apartment of this scale at the site but the new rules made it possible with little scope for objection.
“It will no doubt be a lovely apartment building for those who can afford to live there. But there is a significant impact on those who already live in the area – through shade, increased traffic, loss of privacy and impact on the suburb’s character,” he said.
Dame Gaylene is arranging a meeting of affected residents at the Tararua Tramping Club, 4 Moncrieff St, at 7.30pm on Monday, May 12.