Sixty-plus Wellington properties ask for removal of heritage protection
Tuesday, 5 May 2026
What do a rusty Miramar tank, a wooden Aro Valley home and the former creche of a possible saint have in common?
They, and many more, are on a list going to the Wellington City Council this week of 61 heritage-protected buildings where owners have asked for the protection to be removed.
There are also 56 buildings with multiple owners, where some want heritage protection removed and others want to retain it.
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Wellington council asks for overriding powers on heritage listings in RMA shakeup
The secret register protecting New Zealand’s cultural heritage
All up, 844 owners of 574 heritage buildings were surveyed as well as 57 owners of heritage structures and 1598 owners across 44 “heritage areas”, with their feedback now coming back to the council. Heritage protection gives differing levels of extra requirements if owners want to make changes to properties.
Now the council has the option of doing further work on protections or sending them on to Environment Minister Nicola Grigg, who has the power to remove District Plan provisions, including heritage listings.
Tom Brodie is one of those owners trying to remove a heritage listing from his Holloway Rd, Aro Valley rental property.
“It doesn’t have a lot of value these days,” he said. But it did come with a cost. Any changes needed additional council approval, meaning extra cost.
Subdividing the property and building a small extra house meant consent hearings but he hadn’t broached the subject of trying to alter the protected 1900s house.
“There is no point trying to do anything. The compliance aspect, it makes it not worth doing,” he said.
Pukehīnau/Lambton ward councillor Nicola Young, who has previously battled to retain heritage areas in the city, said there was room for some delistings, such as the former Miramar Installation Bulk Storage Tank.
“This is too blunt an approach,” she said.
“Council needs to find out more about the practical problems faced by owners of heritage properties, and help to sort that out.”
There were some listings that should not be removed such as Mother Suzanne Aubert’s creche, beside the Basin Reserve and owned by Waka Kotahi/NZTA.
“She is being considered for sainthood by the Catholic Church. She would be New Zealand’s first saint; we are surrounded by countries with large Catholic populations and pilgrims are the oldest form of tourism – and that’s economic growth,” Young said.
The building is up for de-listing as the former Home of Compassion Creche.
Deputy Wellington mayor Ben McNulty has been an outspoken critic of the protection given to some high-profile buildings such as the Miramar tanks.
“I am in total support of the government creating a process that allows these owners a proper hearing to review whether their heritage listing is proportionate and fair and to remove it where it falls short of that mark,” he said.
Historic Places Wellington chairperson Felicity Wong said heritage owners needed recognition, such as with rates relief.
“Also the rules in the recent District Plan are now more flexible and the new Earthquake Prone Building Act will also exempt low-risk buildings from costly strengthening requirements,” she said.
“Removing heritage status is not the answer to achieving an attractive and affordable city, but more support from council is.”