The Local - Mt VictoriaCommunity engagement is underway until 14 December 2025 on changes to the roading network through the Mt Victoria tunnel and around the Basin Reserve, which will have major impacts on neighbouring suburbs. Jane O’Loughlin reports.
Roading agency NZTA (Waka Kotahi) has kicked off a brief four weeks of community engagement on the $3.8 billion project to build two new tunnels and reorganise traffic around the Basin Reserve.
The scale of the changes is revealed in engagement documents, which show areas of the Town Belt and Kent/Cambridge Terrace reserve turned into roads, and a new underpass on the Mt Cook side of the Basin.
Once implemented, motorists will travel counter-clockwise around the Basin Reserve, allowing traffic on SH1 to have a more direct route through from the tunnel onto Karo Drive.
Some property owners will also be directly affected: NZTA says it has identified 176 properties in Mt Victoria, Hataitai, and adjacent to the second Terrace Tunnel that may need to be fully or partially acquired for the project and a further 146 properties where substrata (below ground) land may need to be purchased to enable the construction of the two tunnels in the project.
NZTA says the next three years are a ‘pre-implementation programme’ which includes progressing design, securing consents, and purchasing any property that may be required for the project. It also said it was exploring options for some ‘early enabling works’ in 2026 which could include house demolition, site clearance, and road improvements.
Ellen Blake from the Mt Victoria Residents’ Association said she would be concerned if demolitions were to proceed before more details and timelines were released on the project.
“We have been living with this project since at least 1978 when St Patricks College was demolished and an ugly car lot replaced it, and more recently when the historic horseshoe shaped shops were demolished on the corner of Kent and Ellice St leaving an underused green space.”
Mount Victoria Historical Society intends to highlight the heritage value of the Paterson Street area to NZTA, and ask the Agency not to demolish any houses until the second tunnel is confirmed as definitely going ahead.
“If a second tunnel goes ahead, every effort must be made to retain the heritage of this area,” said convenor Joanna Newman.
A spokesperson from NZTA said that the timeline for the main construction of the project was still to be confirmed, and was subject to further funding decisions.
“This means no decisions have yet been made about the demolition of houses, site clearance, or any other early works. However, all options will be considered as part of future planning, including relocating, recycling, or on-selling properties.
More information about the project and dates for community engagement are on the website along with a survey for feedback: https://nzta.govt.nz/projects/sh1-wellington-improvements/community-engagement
