NEWS RELEASE
10 April 2008

Just who are all these apartment dwellers?

A survey of central-city apartment dwellers is to be launched by the Wellington City Council this week. It aims to achieve a much better understanding of the distinct community of 12,000 people who now live in the central city.

There’s also a great incentive to fill out the survey – thanks to the generosity of top restaurant Logan Brown.

This is the first time that this sort of survey has been undertaken and reflects the rapid growth of the central city as a place to live over the past few years.

The Council’s Urban Development Portfolio Leader, Councillor Andy Foster, says while we have “a pretty good idea of how many people live there, we’d like to know more about why they live there and how they use different places and services around the city”.

The confidential survey aims to better understand who lives in the central city, what motivates people to live there and how they find the experience. It also asks about people’s travel patterns and how they use public spaces and community facilities.

“The information will be used to plan more effectively for the future and better target services and infrastructure that the Council provides,” says Cr Foster.

The survey will also aim to answer questions such as:
• How many families live in apartments?
• How big are most apartments in the central city?
• Where did the current apartment dwellers come from and how long have they been there?
• Are people happy with the experience of city-living?
• Where do apartment dwellers park their car?
• How important is private open space to apartment dwellers?
• What services and facilities do people use most?

The Council’s City Planning Manager, Luke Troy, says about 6500 survey forms are to be mailed out to apartments. “If you live in the central city, you should receive a survey form in the post in the next few days. Alternatively you can complete the survey online on the Council’s website at www.Wellington.govt.nz.”

As an incentive to complete the survey, each completed form will be entered into the draw for a $200 voucher generously donated by the Logan Brown Restaurant and Bar.

Luke says questions in the survey will cover a wide range of topics. “We want to get a better idea about how many families live in apartments and how they find the experience, and what the balance is between rental tenants and owner-occupiers.

“We’re also aware that in conducting the recent Census there was difficulty in getting access to apartments and we suspect the official results undercounted the population. We are hoping to get a better feel for the make-up of the central city community through this initiative.”

The Council is eager to continue a dialogue with apartment-dwellers. While the survey will be strictly confidential, respondents will also be given the opportunity to join a database of interested people for future communications, says Councillor Foster.

“We’re hoping to get a good response from apartment dwellers. It’s an important opportunity for this community to communicate with the Council about their wants and needs”.

ends

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