NEWS RELEASE
9 October 2012

North Kumutoto consultation starts tomorrow

Public consultation on a new design brief for the north Kumutoto area of Wellington’s waterfront will start tomorrow (Wednesday 10 October).

Councillor Iona Pannett, the Council’s Built Environment Portfolio Leader, says the main feature of the new brief is a proposal for two buildings, rather than three, in the north Kumutoto area which is broadly defined as the site bordered by the Meridian building to the south and Shed 21 to the north (see attached map).

Buildings are proposed on Sites 9 and 10, with Site 8 as open public space.

She says the design brief was developed after the Council’s proposed Variation 11 was turned down after appeals to the Environment Court earlier this year.

The draft design brief sets out the design principles and parameters for buildings and open spaces on the north Kumutoto site. In combination with an indicative layout of spaces and buildings and a maximum building envelope, the brief gives a level of certainty as to the location of open spaces and maximum size and layout of buildings.

Cr Pannett says she and other members of the Council will be interested to hear comment from the public on key questions relating to north Kumutoto.

“Obviously we want to hear about what people think of the locations, height and ‘bulk’ of the buildings – but people are also welcome to tell us what they think about how the buildings should be used, whether they like the principles guiding public space development and their thoughts on how public space development will be funded - they are currently funded from commercial proceeds from developments.

“It is important to note that the Waterfront Framework envisaged that any new buildings in this area could be used for a range of uses including recreational, retail, commercial, residential and institutional,” says Cr Pannett.

Once consultation is completed and submissions have been considered, the Council will further consider the proposed brief at a meeting scheduled for late November. If adopted the brief, with any changes from public consultation, will form the basis on which Wellington Waterfront Ltd (WWL), the Council’s implementation manager for the waterfront, engages designers or developers for development within the North Kumutoto area.

Anyone wishing to make a submission on the draft design brief can read the document on the Council website in the ‘Have your say’ section from tomorrow. Copies of the draft can also be sent to submitters, or picked up at Council libraries, the service centre at 101 Wakefield Street or the Waterfront Wellington office.

Submissions can be made via the form available on the website. They can be emailed, posted or faxed.

Members of the public have until 5 November to voice their opinions on the design brief.

Map 1 – North Kumutoto location and context

Map 2 – North Kumutoto: Sites 8, 9 and 10

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