News briefs – December
Resource consent recommended for Mayfair
The Wellington City Council’s planning team is recommending that resource consent be granted for the controversial Mayfair apartment building proposal in Austin Street, subject to a set of conditions.
These include carrying out a new geotechnical report, employing a geotechnical professional to monitor earthworks, noise monitoring, realignment of the driveway and installation of a judder bar, and no truck movements during school periods and peak traffic hours during demolition and construction.
Only the four properties on Westbourne Grove were allowed to make submissions on the proposal for the seven-storey 32-unit block to be built at the end of the narrow driveway. Five residents and/or property owners made submissions in opposition.
The matter now goes before a hearing commissioner on 15-16 December.
Kent Terrace intersection in limbo
A brand new intersection at Kent Terrace will sit unused by pedestrians for months, while the Wellington City Council reviews the Golden Mile project.
Re-aligning Courtenay Place with the Embassy Theatre instead of Majoribanks Street was phase 1 of the Golden Mile project, and the intersection work has been largely completed except for pedestrian shelters that were supposed to be installed in November.
However it will now sit in limbo for at least three to six months to accommodate a review requested by Mayor Andrew Little into the escalating costs associated with the Golden Mile project.
The intersection has opened for cyclists, but opening the pedestrian crossing was contingent on the rest of the Golden Mile works going ahead.
It’s not clear what will happen if the Golden Mile project is cancelled. Currently the new intersection leads to concrete wall on the Courtenay Place side.
Revamped creche playground
Crossways Community Creche on Majoribanks Street has unveiled a new playground.
The new layout features a sandpit, slide, water play area, plantings, shed and wharenui.
Creche chair Hannah Chisnall (pictured left) said it was a relief to have the work finally done. “It’s been talked about for many years.”
Creche parent Paloma Fernandez (pictured right) said the new playground created more space for tamariki as well as some fun spaces to explore, and made it easier for kaiako (teachers) to keep an eye on children.
The project was initiated by the committee, with support from the families and kaiako to get the renovation done. The creche would like to acknowledge specifically the contribution of parent Hamish Waterhouse, who did much of the building work.
The Creche’s next plan is for a mural to brighten up the large wall on Hawker Street.
