WestboUrne
Grove
Appropriate & Respectful Development, Yes.
Westbourne Grove is a very narrow, private driveway that leads to Westbourne House at the top (43 Austin Street).
In March 2024, the Labour/Green grouping on Wellington City Council voted to go against independent expert advice and made many areas of Wellington’s suburbs (including Westbourne Grove) high density areas in the noble pursuit of affordable & sustainable housing. Unfortunately, proponents didn’t consider that such plans in a market economy don’t result in affordable housing, but rather expensive, premium homes. So, what did they get when Westbourne House was sold to a developer?
Exactly what any urban land economist could have predicted: an application for luxury flats (penthouses for over $5m) with 29+ extra cars and plans to rip up the pedestrian footpath to make the driveway car focussed and, on top of all that, to remove and dump 5200m3 of Mt Vic - the green dream indeed - with the added bonus of 27,000+ heavy truck trips needed.
What’s our main issues, and why are many people in Mt Victoria and around the city opposing this development? The Council has effectively declared war on the families around here and elsewhere:
This luxury block of apartments will put lives at risk, make homes uninhabitable and do nothing to improve affordability for Wellingtonians looking for a home or house the city’s most vulnerable. What is needed is a focused plan to build affordable homes for young families and those on low incomes in the central and inner city rather than allow cherry picking.
Being melodramatic about this development?, consider:
The driveway is not big enough for such a development. The standard specifies a 8.5m wide driveway with a 1.5m pedestrian footpath. Instead, the driveway is under 5m and the developer and council are proposing to rip up the footpath to create a car-first shared space. Auckland basically outlawed these due to the danger (Plan Change 79).
27,000 heavy truck trips over 2 years down a narrow driveway is going to make many houses uninhabitable (noise & geotechnical risks), whilst the mountain mourns losing 5200m3 - slips anyone?
This not acceptable. Wellington deserves better.
westbourne Grove
a narrow driveway 5m (MAX) Wide, 8.5m is the standard for developments of this scale.
This is Westbourne Grove today, a narrow, private, driveway providing access to 5 family dwellings. The proposed development will see an extra 32 luxury dwellings added with 29 cars (& deliveries), all needing access along this driveway - where children walk to and from school - the current plans involve ripping up the pedestrian footpath to make way for the cars - the standard for this size development is 8.5m width - this is being driven unilaterally by the developer without genuine consultation.
Construction requires 27,000 Truck movements
5200m3 of Mt Victoria to be removed & dumped,
“One day, the mountain will fight back” - Gaylene Preston
AI generated video of a truck coming up Westbourne Grove as a young girl walks down it.
AI generated video of a truck turning up Westbourne Grove whilst a young girl walks down it - there are forecast to be 27,000 truck movements over a 2 year construction period along this narrow, private driveway. Note: the width of the truck on the driveway IS realistic.
The Wider community
Quote Source
“high density housing within a walkable catchment of the city was supposed to mean residents would walk and cycle, but the mayfair would lead to 29+ extra cars in the area”
Quote Source
“A seperate pedestrian pathway on a property reduced injury risk by around 60%”
Dame Gaylene Preston leading a public meeting discussing “Mayfair” with numerous civic leaders present and concerned residents - none of whom oppose development, but want to see appropriate & respectful development.
WAGON (Westbourne Grove Owners & Neighbours) join us in the fight for respectful & appropriate development