Draft Wellington Urban Growth Plan
2014 – 2043
Wellington City Council

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Contents
Executive summary
Introduction
Context
Purpose
Key outcomes
Where do our population projections come from?
The city now and by 2043
Population and growth
Housing
Natural environment and sustainability
City resilience
Transport and movement
Infrastructure
Economy and employment
Māori heritage and partnership
Historic heritage and character
Our action plan
Our focus areas
Key actions
Transformational growth areas
Liveable and vibrant centres
Real transport choices
Housing supply and choice
Natural environment
City resilience
Delivering the plan
The Urban Growth Plan review
Appendix A

Executive summary
Wellington City's population is expected to grow from the current 200,000 to approximately 250,000 over the next 30 years. This plan ensures that as the city’s population increases, new houses, infrastructure and services are developed sustainably and in areas that benefit the city the most so that residents continue to enjoy a world-class quality of life. 
This is an action-focused plan, which builds on, updates and replaces the Council’s previous urban development and transport strategies. The plan seeks to preserve the city’s character, keep it compact and connected to nature, and ensure we have an efficient, sustainable and accessible transport network.
The plan is the Council’s guide for directing investment and supporting development in growth areas – a blueprint for prioritising and managing future growth. This includes the regeneration of existing urban areas, investment in the transport network and other infrastructure, the development of new housing areas, and the delivery of improved public spaces. As well as accommodating extra people in the city, the plan ensures the quality of our natural environment is maintained and enhanced, places of historical value are preserved, and the city is prepared for the risks posed by natural hazards and climate change. 
The plan helps to achieve our long-term vision, Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital, and sits alongside our strategies for economic development, the environment, social and recreation facilities, and governance. It also helps put into effect a number of existing Council policies and action plans such as our Climate Change Action Plan, Biodiversity Action Plan, and Centres Policy. The priority projects identified in the plan will inform our Long-term Plan. 
It will support Council decisions on planning and development applications and provide certainty for the city’s stakeholders – developers, central government, iwi, other councils, architects, planners, ratepayers and residents.
To make sure the plan is effective, it will be monitored regularly to check it reflects changing local priorities and development pressures. This will include assessing the progress made in putting the plan into action and reporting back to Councillors and the wider organisation. 
In summary, the Wellington Urban Growth Plan provides a framework for sustainable development. It provides strategies to manage the city’s future growth while protecting our environment and heritage, and building on the things that make the city special.
We think it will be a catalyst for positive change.

The plan seeks to deliver the following key outcomes:
A compact city
The city’s urban areas are surrounded by the Town Belt and the reserves, rural land and hilltops that form the Outer Green Belt. This has led to a compact urban form, which is one of the city’s distinctive features. To keep Wellington compact, this plan directs future development to locations with quality transport links, infrastructure and community facilities. The key outcomes that will deliver this result are:
•	Development along the growth spine: More intensive residential and commercial development is planned along the ‘growth spine’ – between Johnsonville town centre and the airport via Kilbirnie – where it is supported by investment in transport and infrastructure.
•	Greenfield growth areas: New greenfield housing subdivisions and developments are encouraged in areas where transport and other infrastructure exists or are planned. These areas include Lincolnshire Farm and Stebbings Valley.
A liveable city
The central city is the main economic, social and cultural hub of the region. It is walkable, lively, attractive and safe. At a local level, suburban centres provide a focus for community life and access to shops and services. This plan supports vibrant centres through a range of outcomes, including:
•	A dynamic central city: The central city is a focus for business investment and employment growth; high-density living, high-quality buildings and public areas; events and cultural activities; and investment that supports the different ways people want to get around.
•	Attractive suburban centres: Suburban centres provide a mix of residential, commercial and social activities. Medium-density housing is encouraged in and around key centres. This is supported by improvements in the centres and transport connections between the centres and the central city.
•	Transport routes that provide choice: Investment in the walking and cycling networks will improve the quality and safety of these routes and encourage more people to use them. Significant investment in public transport along the growth spine and suburban connections will also improve the quality and use of these services. The proposed Petone to Grenada link road will improve connections to the wider metropolitan area.
A city set in nature
The city’s distinctive character and appeal is enhanced by protecting our natural environment, managing our heritage assets, increasing our resilience and making sure people can easily get to the waterfront and other open spaces. To achieve this, the plan emphasises the importance of better green infrastructure such as open spaces, trees and waterways; sustainable transport options; low-impact urban development and water sensitive urban design; energy-efficient buildings; and stronger buildings and structures. A number of projects support this outcome, including:
•	Resilient city: Earthquake strengthening of buildings continues, particularly along key transport routes, as well as planning for the improved resilience of our coastal areas against the risk of increased storm events and sea level rise.
•	Coastal environment: Ensuring that development and activities along the coastline respect and enhance the landscape, ecological and character values of the harbour and rugged coastal areas.

Introduction
Context
Wellington continues to grow as more people make the city their home, attracted by work opportunities, lifestyle and culture, high quality services and the proximity to the harbour, hills and our other beautiful natural assets.
Just 15 years ago, only 170,000 people lived in the city. Today our population is just over 200,000. By 2043 the population is expected to grow to around 250,000.
Wellington is the nation’s capital city and the region’s centre of productivity and innovation. It is crucial that future growth and investment is concentrated in areas that benefit the city the most. 
The Wellington Urban Growth Plan is the Council’s tool for managing this growth. It updates, combines and replaces our 2006 Urban Development Strategy and Transport Strategy. This plan is consistent with the philosophies of the 2006 strategies in seeking to encourage growth in areas close to services, employment and good public transport.
Purpose
The purpose of this plan is to guide the Council’s decisions that relate to planning, growth, land use, housing, transport and infrastructure. It also helps to achieve the goals identified in our other key strategies, contributing to decision-making on economic development, public spaces, community character, the natural environment and recreation.
The objectives of the plan are to:
•	Direct new growth to suitable areas to maintain the city’s compactness, liveability and natural setting.
•	Ensure development occurs close to employment, services, and public and other transport links. This will continue to encourage active modes and the use of public transport, and reduce pressure on our resources and infrastructure. We expect most new development to occur along the ‘growth spine’ from Johnsonville through the central city to Adelaide Road and Kilbirnie. 
•	Improve the resilience of the city against the risk of natural hazards and climate change.
•	Ensure urban growth contributes to the city’s economic, social and environmental success. 
•	Help target the Council’s investment on priority projects and actions. 
Key outcomes
There are three key strategic outcomes we aspire to for the city with this plan. They are that Wellington will remain:
A compact city
Contained by the Town Belt, Outer Green Belt and steep hillsides, the city has developed in a compact fashion, in contrast to more spread out cities found elsewhere in New Zealand. Our compactness makes our urban areas walkable, and ensures cycling and public transport are viable transport options for our communities. To keep Wellington compact, this plan directs future development to locations with quality transport links, infrastructure and community facilities. 
A liveable city
Wellington offers its residents a high quality of life. It is vibrant, walkable, attractive and safe. It has urban areas and public spaces we can be proud of, and this plan aims to further enhance the quality of the urban and natural environments. Under this plan, the central area will continue to further develop as the cultural, economic and social hub for the Wellington region and the main centre for employment, innovation and entertainment. Our suburban centres will provide a focus for community life with easy access to shops, services and a range of transport options.
A city set in nature
The city’s setting between harbour and hills means we are never far from nature. This is part of the city’s distinctive character and appeal. This also means Wellington is vulnerable to natural hazards and the effects of climate change, for which we are increasingly well prepared. This plan provides for the active management of our natural environment, heritage assets, waterfront, coastal areas and other open spaces to ensure that our natural setting is protected and enhanced.
Where do our population projections come from?
Throughout the plan, the Council has used information from a number of sources. A key source is Informed Decisions (ID). ID is a group of professional demographers, spatial analysts, urban planners, forecasters and IT experts who focus on New Zealand and Australian cities and their people. In Wellington’s case, ID has provided demographic census analysis and forecasting based on the 2006 Census information. 
ID works with the Council to look at the current and evolving policies and strategies affecting development, as well as resource consents. ID also works with local developers, property owners, real estate agents and others who can offer additional information to assist in accurate forecasting. This detailed analysis of development combines with demographic and census studies of Wellington City, Wellington Region and New Zealand. 
This model, which combines a ‘ground-up’ and a ‘top-down’ approach, produces a more refined forecast for Wellington’s next 30 years than census projections alone. While these are the best demographic forecasts available for the city’s next 30 years, it is possible for growth to accelerate depending on the implementation and the success of specific projects outlined in the plan as well as external events.
A full list of source documents can be found in the appendix.
Where does the Wellington Urban Growth Plan fit?
The plan helps to achieve our long-term vision for the city, Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital. 
It also contributes to the implementation of a number of existing Council policies and action plans including:
•	Accessible Wellington Action Plan.
•	Adelaide Road Framework.
•	Biodiversity Action Plan.
•	Business Improvement District Policy. 
•	Centres Policy. 
•	Central City Framework. 
•	Climate Change Action Plan. 
•	Community Facilities Policy. 
•	Cycling Policy. 
•	Development Contributions Policy. 
•	District Plan.
•	Earthquake-prone Buildings Policy. 
•	Greening Central Wellington. 
•	Heritage Policy. 
•	Jan Gehl Report.
•	Johnsonville Town Centre Plan. 
•	Kilbirnie Town Centre Revitalisation Plan. 
•	Newlands Centre Plan.
•	Ngauranga to Airport Corridor Plan.
•	Northern Growth Management Framework.
•	Our Capital Spaces.
•	Parking Policy.
•	Public Space Design Policy.
•	Walking Policy.
•	Waterfront Framework.
The priorities and projects identified in this plan will help inform our Long-term Plan.

The city now and by 2043
Wellington residents enjoy a high quality of life. The city leads the country on measures of social wellbeing, environment and community strength. 
On top of being the political capital, the city is also known as the creative industries and arts capital with museums, theatres, high-tech firms and cafes all within easy reach of natural attractions such as the harbour and native bush walks. 
The central city is vibrant, attractive and compact, making it easy to get around without a car. 
This plan ensures future urban growth and change reinforce the physical and spatial characteristics that make Wellington special. It also ensures the city will continue to provide a high-quality urban environment that contributes to the stimulating urban experience Wellington offers.
Population and growth
The city population was 200,400 in 2013, and is forecast to grow by almost 50,000 in the next 30 years. The drivers for growth are Wellington’s diverse economy and liveability, which attracts people from other parts of New Zealand and the world. There is expected to be significant ongoing growth in the number of tertiary education students as well as older people. 
Population growth and changing demographics will have significant implications for the city’s land-use patterns, and transport and infrastructure investment.
Wellington is an appealing destination for young adults and students, who are attracted to a city with strong educational and employment opportunities and desirable lifestyle and entertainment qualities. This contributes to the city’s residents having higher rates of educational achievement compared with regional and national figures.
The city will undergo a shift as our population ages. By 2043, 13.5 percent of city residents will be over 65, compared with 9.6 percent now. This will have an impact on our housing, transport, social service needs, and economy.
The population and growth by 2043:
•	The city’s population is expected to increase to around 250,000, with growth directed to maximise benefits to the city.
•	The population in the central city area, which grew by almost 100 percent between 2001 and 2013, is expected to increase further by approximately 84 percent – from 18,019 in 2013 to 33,150 in 2043. 
•	Wellington’s population growth and diversity will foster the city’s vibrancy, the creation of accessible employment opportunities, and support continued investment in housing, transport and other infrastructure.
Housing 
Quality and affordable housing is essential for the wellbeing of our families, communities and a successful city. The challenge for Wellington as a city is one of choice – continuing to offer a variety of housing options, suitable for residents and families of all types and ages, within the bounds of our compact city.
The city’s projected population growth will result in the need for an additional 21,400 residential dwellings by 2043 (approximately 715 new homes per year). The inner city and adjoining areas will continue to attract the majority of renters, rental investors and young non-family households, while the majority of families wanting to buy will seek affordable options in the suburbs. An aging population will increase demand for age-appropriate housing choices (often smaller, low-maintenance housing that is close to services) within people’s local suburbs. This movement could help free up more housing choices for families. 
Since 2007, there have been more new central city apartments, medium-density (townhouse and smaller apartment complexes) and infill housing built, than traditional stand-alone (greenfield) housing. This trend is expected to continue and we expect 25 percent of new housing to be low-density; 35 percent medium-density; and 40 percent high-density.
The aim of this plan is to see most of the growth over the next 30 years occurring in the central city and along the growth spine. Greenfield development areas (mainly in the northern suburbs beyond Johnsonville) will provide for the expected demand for new single detached homes.

The city’s housing by 2043 – what we plan to happen
•	Residential development forecasts show the number of dwellings in the central area (Wellington Central, Te Aro, Pipitea and Thorndon) will grow approximately 88 percent in the 30 years from 2013 to 2043 – from 8263 dwellings to 15,573 – at an average of 244 dwellings a year. 
•	The city will stay compact with continued central city apartment development and an increasing stock of quality medium-density housing options in areas near the city centre and in key suburban centres. 
•	There will be a wide range of quality housing options that meet the needs of the city’s diverse population. 
•	This plan’s targets for new housing density types (low: 25 percent; medium: 35 percent; high: 40 percent) are met.
Natural environment and sustainability
Wellington’s unique natural environment is critically important to the city’s liveability and attractiveness. Its landscape, ecological and recreational features support healthy, active communities. This plan acknowledges the value of our closeness and connection to nature, how this makes Wellington unique, and it aims to maximise the benefits of this setting.
One of the best ways of doing this is to keep the city compact by containing development within the city’s existing urban limits. This plan supports the protection of natural features from the impacts of development; enhancement of the city’s green infrastructure (eg parks, open spaces, landscaped areas); reducing the city’s carbon footprint; and ensuring quality open spaces and recreation opportunities in key locations. In doing this, Wellington will enhance its attractive lifestyle and ability to compete globally for visitors, talented workers and events.
This plan supports greenhouse gas emissions-reduction targets that have been set in our Climate Change Action Plan (2013). The targets are for the city to decrease emissions by 30 percent by 2020, and by 80 percent by 2050, while the Council decreases emissions 40 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050.
Our natural environment and sustainability by 2043 – what we plan to happen
•	Our investment in the natural environment and parks keeps pace with the city’s population growth, intensification in existing urban areas, and new housing development in greenfield locations. 
•	The Outer Green Belt is completed, the harbour escarpment and Watts Peninsula (Miramar) are protected as part of the reserves network, and there are more parks and green areas within the central city.
•	Our network of open spaces, parks and reserves, the waterfront, harbour and coastline continue to be highly valued by residents and are easily accessible. 
•	Nature and natural systems are a fundamental part of the city. Indigenous biodiversity is protected and restored. There are more green buildings and an established green infrastructure network across the city. 
•	The natural environment is an integral part of the city’s sense of place, and provides a range of economic, social and health benefits.
•	The environmental impacts of urban development and transport are minimised and new buildings and subdivisions embody sustainable, low-impact urban development principles.
•	The city’s compact form, our high levels of walking, cycling and public transport use, and the increasing stock of energy efficient, low-carbon buildings help reduce our carbon emissions.
City resilience
Earthquakes are the biggest natural hazard risk and pose significant resilience challenges for Wellington with the city straddling several active fault lines. Wellington is also vulnerable to a range of other natural hazards and climate change related risks. These include severe storms, flooding, landslides, tsunami and sea-level rise. Some hazards are immediate, while others (like sea-level rise) require long-range planning. 
In recognition of this, the Council has for the last 20 years invested significantly in strengthening infrastructure and leads the country in ensuring we have a resilient building stock. We have undertaken earthquake resilience assessments for all pre-1976 buildings and continue to work actively with building owners to ensure that buildings are strengthened. We have also pioneered work with key lifeline organisations and with communities to build disaster preparedness.
The need to increase our resilience will be a key influence on the planning and infrastructure investment decisions the Council makes over the next 30 years. Climate change impacts and the predictions of more severe weather events and sea-level rise will have ramifications, particularly for low-lying coastal urban areas.
We will spend a considerable amount on making the city more resilient to earthquakes. This includes strengthening our earthquake-prone buildings in the central city and suburban centres. Our physical infrastructure lifelines (transport, water, wastewater, power supply) will be particularly important, as well as ensuring our social infrastructure is protected. 
The city’s resilience by 2043 – what we plan to happen
•	Ongoing investment in buildings and key infrastructure, and the adoption of new urban development approaches and technologies mean the city’s buildings and transport network is increasingly resilient to natural hazards and the impacts of climate change.
•	Land use and development in areas most at risk from the impacts of natural hazards and climate change is managed to minimise the risks to people and property.
Transport and movement
Having a high-quality transport system is key to Wellington’s economic, environmental and social success and must be considered in an integrated way.
Wellington is relatively well-placed to face the transport challenges of the next 50 years. The city is compact, many people work in the central city, and we have a comparatively young, educated population who have demonstrated they are open to change. We have a good public transport system, and car ownership is relatively low by national standards. Walking as a transport mode is very high (17 percent of journeys to work)1 by national and international standards. There has also been a large recent rise in the number of people cycling despite a lack of supporting infrastructure, with a 73 percent increase in residents cycling to work.
Wellington continues to move towards being a more sustainable city, supported by our changing transport choices. This plan recognises the important role our public transport system plays in moving people around the city (currently 34 percent of journeys by residents into the central city on weekdays are by bus and 6 percent are by train). It also recognises the planned transport improvements that are being made across the city, and the opportunities for emerging technologies such as electric vehicles. Capitalising on these investments, as well as fostering the development of active modes – walking and cycling – will be key to the city’s future success.  
Our transport network by 2043 – what we plan to happen:
•	The proportion of people using active modes to, from and around the central city continues to increase supported by a comprehensive cycling network and ongoing improvements to pedestrian access. 
•	A high proportion of residents (over 90 percent) still agree that the city is pedestrian friendly2, and there is ongoing reduction in the number of pedestrian injuries. 
•	Wellington’s cycling safety (as measured by the rate of injuries and deaths of people on bikes) significantly improves. 
•	The percentage of people using public transport increases and our usage continues to be one of the highest in the country.
•	The Wellington City Roads of National Significance projects are completed in a way that maximises benefits to the city. (Projects include Basin Reserve improvements, Buckle Street underpass, additional Mt Victoria and Terrace tunnels, Aotea Quay to Ngauranga Gorge improvements and Transmission Gully.)
•	The Great Harbour Way provides cyclists with a continuous cycle route from Lower Hutt to the city. 
•	The proportion of children walking and cycling to school increases significantly supported by Council investment in safer routes to schools.
•	The public transport system is fully electrified and there is a significant number of private electric vehicles on the road.            
Infrastructure
Infrastructure underpins everything the city does. Having high-quality, reliable infrastructure is critical to our economic, social, environmental and cultural wellbeing and is fundamental to Wellington being a successful city. It is also the biggest area of Council spending. It is therefore important for this investment to provide value to ratepayers and maximise benefits to the city. 
The city’s projected population growth, and new housing and commercial development over the next 30 years, will require new and upgraded infrastructure. A significant advantage of being a compact city is that infrastructure is cheaper to provide and operate than in more spread out cities. In the northern greenfield areas where there is little or no existing infrastructure, developers will fund the necessary works. Existing infrastructure in urban areas also requires continual upgrade and renewal, particularly in areas where development is planned and more people will be living or working.
The growing frequency of natural hazards will also place increasing pressure on infrastructure, both to withstand the actual event (for example, earthquakes and storms), as well as being able to return to operation quickly after an event. Targeting investment to ensure resilience of critical infrastructure will be a key focus. 
The infrastructure by 2043 – what we plan to happen:
•	The resilience of the city’s infrastructure increases through targeted investment in strategic locations and critical networks. 
•	Our investment in public infrastructure keeps pace with the city’s population growth and new housing development (especially along the growth spine, other suburban growth areas and in greenfield growth areas).
Economy and employment
How the city develops – its urban form – is a critical factor in maximising economic potential. Our compact layout, central city density and close proximity to major commercial centres – coupled with high-quality transport links (including sea and air connections) – provide a distinct competitive advantage for Wellington. 
How we plan for and manage growth through this plan will help maximise economic benefits, whilst also ensuring environmental and social benefits. Ensuring the efficient use of land and providing development capacity in the right locations are central to this goal. 
Wellington is the economic heart of the region, generating around two-thirds of the region’s gross domestic product (GDP), much of it in the geographically small area of the CBD. As such, much of the city’s employment is clustered in the central city. 
The city’s projected population growth will help support economic development and the creation of employment opportunities. This plan identifies investment priorities in key locations to stimulate growth.
Our economy and employment by 2043 – what we plan to happen:
•	The Council’s approach to managing growth and development ensures the immediate and long-term economic vitality of the city. 
•	The central city continues to be the economic, social and cultural hub of the city and wider region.
•	The city’s suburban centres and other business areas help support economic growth.
Māori heritage and partnership
Māori whānau, hāpu and iwi are an important part of the city’s history and unique identity. They are also important partners in delivering on the long-term cultural, social, economic, and environmental wellbeing of the city. 
It is important that the heritage of tangata whenua, Māori culture and traditions are protected and incorporated into the development of the city through the actions identified in this plan. 
Māori heritage and partnership by 2043 – what we plan to happen:
•	Iwi are involved in the development of the city and work in partnerships with the Council and others to help deliver on actions and projects.
•	Sites of historical importance to Māori are identified and acknowledged.
•	Public spaces, buildings, artworks and events provide opportunities to reflect the city’s relationship with Māori.
•	The provisions of plans and policies such as the District Plan support the protection of Māori historic heritage, culture and traditions, and reflect the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi.
Historic heritage and character
Wellingtonians value highly the city’s unique heritage and character. The city’s rich and diverse historic heritage includes buildings and structures, sites, townscapes, streetscapes, landscapes and other historical places. We value them as features in the city’s landscape and appreciate both their natural and human-made elements. 
Wellington’s built heritage is a precious and finite resource and is important in shaping the character of the central city and suburbs. It is part of what makes Wellington unique and attractive. Built heritage also plays a significant role within our economy: through direct employment; providing retail and commercial spaces; and as a focus for advertising and tourism. 
The plan recognises the importance of protecting and enhancing elements that help give Wellington its sense of place – the compact, walkable nature of the city, its suburban villages, its heritage buildings and objects, character areas, and Māori heritage values and sites. 
Our historic heritage and character by 2043 – what we plan to happen:
•	Growth and development of the city values and enhances the key elements that form part of Wellington’s unique identity and character.
•	The legacy of the past is recognised through the appropriate protection, conservation and use of the city’s significant cultural and historic heritage.
•	All current earthquake-prone heritage buildings have had their earthquake-prone status resolved through investment in strengthening and sensitive redevelopment.
•	We continue to protect and enhance the special character of our suburbs, particularly the highly valued existing character of our inner city suburbs such as Thorndon, Mt Victoria, Aro Valley, Newtown, Mt Cook and Berhampore.
•	We support initiatives to build even greater ‘sense of place’ in Wellington’s diverse communities.

Our Action Plan
Our focus areas 
This section sets out the Council’s actions for specific components of the city – urban development, transport, infrastructure, and open spaces. The actions are grouped under the following six focus areas:
•	transformational growth areas.
•	liveable and vibrant centres.
•	real transport choices. 
•	housing supply and choice.
•	natural environment.
•	city resilience. 
Each focus area outlines a series of opportunities, projects and actions seen as important in shaping the future growth and development of the city with particular emphasis on the next 10 years. These may apply citywide, or may be location specific, depending on the situation. 
While some opportunities may relate to only one issue, often they will have multiple benefits. For example, areas such as investment in Victoria Street provide major opportunities for regeneration and residential growth, but are also beneficial in delivering improved public transport, cycling and walking.
A detailed implementation plan for these actions will be developed to be considered as part of our  2015–25 Long-term Plan. 
Key actions
The following map describes the key components of the plan’s overall approach. It builds on the concept of the ‘growth spine’ as the city’s key development, transport and investment corridor. It also underlines the central city’s role as the main economic, social and cultural hub of the region, and emphasises its capacity for further high-density apartment development and commercial growth.
The growth spine is anchored by Johnsonville and Kilbirnie town centres. These are Wellington’s largest centres outside the central city, and have the ability to support more intensive residential and mixed-use development. The city’s other suburban centres provide for a mix of residential, commercial, social and cultural activities, with more intensive types of housing encouraged in suburban locations with good supporting transport and other infrastructure. New greenfield residential growth is provided for in the city’s northern growth areas.

Transformational growth areas
This focus area brings together the actions required to deliver positive urban development in locations suitable for growth. In identifying such locations, we take a number of factors into consideration, including:
•	key transport infrastructure.
•	existing amenities and services.
•	existing community and educational facilities.
•	the capacity of the existing utilities.
•	if change in the area will enhance the mix of home types and business uses available to the community.
Our approach builds on the previously identified growth spine, directing development towards the central city, Adelaide Road, Johnsonville and Kilbirnie. The benefits of the growth spine approach include:
•	improving the efficiency of infrastructure by locating more people in areas with existing high capacity.
•	retaining the character of residential areas that many people enjoy by directing increased density to selected locations. 
•	providing opportunities for people to live closer to where they work, shop and access high-quality transport options.
•	concentrating investment into a smaller number of centres.
In addition to the growth spine, the plan provides a mix of development opportunities. This includes greenfield areas with significant capacity for development.  It also includes supporting the important economic hubs around the port and the airport.
To transform some of the areas, we will need to work with external partners to co-invest and maximise the benefits to the city. We will also need to coordinate land use, transport improvements and investment in infrastructure to create the right conditions to generate economic and urban growth.

Activate the development of identified growth areas 
To stimulate growth in the locations we have identified, the Council needs to target action and investment. To encourage development, we need to provide incentives, ensure supporting District Plan provisions, partner with others, and take a more active role in the development market.
Project	Actions	
The Council will facilitate new development in priority areas. 	Deliver the Convention Centre – in partnership with others, to support our economic growth, increase vitality and improve the amenity and connectivity in this part of the central city.
Review our venues and identify opportunities for new facilities, such as whether a concert venue would benefit the city.
Identify opportunities for the Council Urban Regeneration Unit to deliver regeneration projects in priority areas.
Work in partnership with external parties to develop feasible proposals for specific sites that could act as catalysts for further change in growth areas.
Develop a strategic land acquisition plan to facilitate revitalisation priorities and to support development of the city’s transport network (particularly for public transport and cycling goals). 
	
Adopt incentives to stimulate development – there are locations and types of development that we want to encourage more than others. We need to send the right signals to the development community to give them confidence. 
	Review and update the Council’s development contributions requirements to support the delivery of new development in key locations.
Continue and enhance funding assistance for earthquake-strengthening of buildings – this includes the existing Built Heritage Incentive Fund and rates remission for qualifying developments. We will also consider increased investment in priority heritage buildings and areas, as well as other measures.
Implement an ‘open for business’ approach when assessing development proposals (eg user-friendly and efficient processes).
Investigate alternative tools and mechanisms (eg planning and financial) that could help support implementation of this plan and its priorities.	
Deliver central city regeneration projects – the central city will be the main focus area for more intensive residential and commercial developments. 	Commence delivery of the Victoria Street/Cuba Street regeneration area – this includes public space, public transport and cycling improvements in Victoria Street, improved connections to Cuba Street, coordination with developers to implement new buildings in this precinct and supporting the earthquake strengthening of buildings in the Cuba Street heritage area.
Continue planning for the east Te Aro regeneration area – Kent and Cambridge Terraces will undergo significant change due to investment by the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) in relation to State Highway 1 improvements and delivery of the bus rapid transit network. We will continue to partner with NZTA and GWRC to maximise the opportunities and future investments relating to roading and public transport in this area. We will use our Urban Regeneration Unit to identify and deliver regeneration opportunities in this location.
Develop a programme to regenerate the Civic Centre – this will include Mercer Street, Ilott Green and specific development opportunities in relation to the Michael Fowler Centre car park, the James Smith parking building, former GWRC building and other sites that have structural issues. It will also include improving Lower Cuba Street.
Work with others, such as utilities providers, and coordinate investment in regeneration areas.	
Deliver the vision for Adelaide Road – the Council undertook significant engagement with the community in 2008 on the Adelaide Road Framework. Adelaide Road is an area that supports the Wellington Regional Hospital, is an important retail and commercial centre for the city, and can accommodate more residential development to make Newtown and Mt Cook more vibrant and economically successful. Coupled with this, it is a major transport route and as the southern suburbs grow, we need to provide better facilities for walking, cycling and public transport.	Deliver the Adelaide Road Framework ensuring new development and street improvements are integrated with roading, public transport and cycle route improvements.
Align the timing of Council investment in this area under the Long-term Plan with construction/mitigation works at the Basin Reserve and on the public transport spine.
Work with partners to secure the transport corridor (includes land purchase and corridor designation), and help to facilitate the development of catalyst sites.	
Stimulate development in sub-regional centres (Johnsonville and Kilbirnie) – these have an important role to play in providing communities with the goods and services they need close to where they live. They also offer opportunities for wider housing options in close proximity to public transport hubs. 	Enable regeneration of Johnsonville town centre – this includes completion of transport and community facility improvements; bus and rail interchange improvements to facilitate mass movement of people; improved cycling infrastructure to support sustainable transport choices; public space development to support intensification; encouraging town centre densification and the mall redevelopment. Work with private partners to determine the development potential of these sites.
Enable regeneration of Kilbirnie town centre – this includes development of public transport facilities/hub; public space improvements; development of the community walkway/cycleway and improved cycling infrastructure; and opportunities such as the Bus Barns redevelopment, and a mid-block link from Bay Road to Onepu Road. Work with private partners to determine the development potential of these sites.	
Support the development of greenfield areas in the northern suburbs that have already been identified for growth. 
	Northern Wellington Growth Plan – a planning initiative to explore the opportunity for an ‘eco-town’ that offers sustainable housing and jobs focused on green and clean-tech industries in this area. The initial study would test the feasibility of encouraging and promoting green industry to locate in Wellington as part of our long-term sustainable, economic diversification agenda. This also includes working with partners such as NZTA and landowners to integrate the proposed Petone to Grenada link road with the future neighbourhood centre, business area and residential development. 
Plan for the development of lower and upper Stebbings Valley – develop a structure plan for inclusion in the District Plan to guide development and infrastructure requirements (including a potential road connection to Tawa and a pedestrian connection to the Te Araroa walkway) for Stebbings Valley. The plan will also complete the Outer Green Belt and protect waterways, significant indigenous vegetation and Marshall Ridge.
Review design guides and District Plan provisions as necessary to ensure high-quality development occurs in the greenfield areas.	

Support the development of the port and the airport as economic hubs
This action area is about recognising the port and airport as critical city infrastructure and supporting their development as key economic hubs for the city. 
Project	Actions	
Airport precinct – the combination of predicted ongoing airport growth and the proposed runway extension presents opportunities for business and employment in and around the airport. There is also the opportunity to improve transport connections to and from the airport. 	Improve transport connections to the airport – work with the airport, NZTA, GWRC and other partners to ensure efficient transport connections to the airport. This includes investigation of an extension of the rapid transit network spine to the airport, and improvements for private vehicles, freight, pedestrian and cycle movements. 
Plan for future growth – work with the airport and key partners on measures to improve the city’s international air connections; contribute to the master-planning revision; and identify opportunities for the Council to assist development.	
Port precinct – this large area includes major city infrastructure – the port, the Westpac Stadium and the railway station. The port is expected to continue to grow, which will require upgrades to access and rail/road freight distribution systems. 	Contribute to the Port Access Plan – work with Centreport, KiwiRail, NZTA, GWRC and freight operators to improve state highway connections and port access points and facilitate high-quality walking and cycling access from the existing passenger terminal to the Hutt Road/Ferry Terminal/Great Harbour Way. 
Develop a Port Precinct Plan that focuses on improving connections between the precinct and the central city; maintaining the integrity of port functions (eg moving freight, an industrial and freight logistics hub, a gateway for the city and visitors on ferries and cruise liners, and access to the stadium); and resilience. 
Understand the movement of urban freight – work with NZTA and stakeholders to study the value of freight movement through the city and its impact. This will identify the freight levels in the city and how efficiencies could be maximised. 
Address impacts of port area office development on the central city – there has been concern that further port area office developments could adversely affect the vitality of the central city. We will work to ensure that this is not exacerbated. 

Liveable and vibrant centres
We want to make sure that we are creating a good platform for communities to develop on, especially in areas where growth is planned. This means ensuring that our centres are attractive, accessible and convenient, leading to more people spending time in them, which in turn makes them more economically and socially successful. 
Centres such as Johnsonville, Kilbirnie, Newtown, Miramar, Tawa and Karori provide a place for local communities to shop, access services and socialise. We need to ensure the areas already earmarked for medium-density housing and the main streets in and around these centres are attractive and ready to support that growth.
With more people expected to live in the central city, we need to improve the quality of the streets and places where residential growth is going to occur. For example, the city boulevards such as Victoria Street, Taranaki Street and Kent and Cambridge terraces have the capacity to take most of the central city’s growth but require improvement to make them places where people would want to live and work.

Deliver improvements in the central city and key centres
We will make improvements in areas planned for growth to ensure their success and their ability to act as a catalyst for other revitalisation opportunities. As well as Council-led improvements, this action area includes taking opportunities to work alongside and/or co-invest with partners to maximise the benefits for the city. 
Project	Actions	
Continue to deliver on planned central city improvement programmes – this will support the regeneration areas identified (see Transformational Growth Areas) and reinforce the value of the central city as a place for events, celebrations and recreation, but most of all to live and work. Delivering these improvements will encourage other development and bring private sector investment to the city.

	Complete the development of the waterfront – this includes completing the development of North Kumutoto and adjoining open spaces; the completion of Frank Kitts Park and Queens Wharf areas; and continuing to improve pedestrian and cycle connections between the city and the waterfront. We consider Frank Kitts Park should be a premier recreation area for the city, particularly for children.
Continue the laneways improvement programme – investment will be targeted at areas where pedestrian potential is the highest and where the lanes provide for small businesses at ground level. Use improvements to central city laneways to encourage private investment. 
Parliamentary precinct/North Lambton Quay – work with partners to enhance the important economic and social role the Parliament buildings and government sector play in Wellington. Work with central government on its office review programme and identify enhancement opportunities. This will also include facilitating private sector development in the precinct to encourage greater variety in the mix of uses, and improving pedestrian interchange facilities between the precinct and the bus terminus, railway station and the central city.	
Deliver street improvements to city boulevards – the boulevards each form part of a Transformational Growth Area and are projects that will encourage development. Where possible these will be delivered through a partnership approach to maximise benefits to regeneration areas.

	Deliver improvements to Victoria Street – this includes a streetscape upgrade with a focus on improving the street for pedestrians. The upgrade will include street trees, lighting, paving, bus and cycle lanes and integration with specific development sites. 
Taranaki Street improvement plans – the objectives of this project are to increase the flood resistance and make street improvements in conjunction with adjacent land uses. Taranaki Street has more complexities than some other streets because a major stormwater upgrade is required. This will influence the staging of the project.
Kent and Cambridge terrace improvement plans – improvements in this area are dependent on a number of projects proceeding, including potential changes to the roads around the Basin Reserve, the bus rapid transit network, changes to the inner city bypass and cycle network improvement plans. We will continue to plan for changes to the streets in this area taking these factors into account. 	
Plan for future improvements in the central city	Review the implementation of the Central City Framework – this is the Council’s key document for guiding urban development and public space improvements in the central city area. Work will continue on prioritising and seeking funding for those initiatives not yet implemented.
Te Aro Park – investigate opportunities to improve Te Aro Park and surroundings, particularly with current plans for the development of a Whitirea-Weltec campus in adjacent Cuba Street.
Ensure future improvements give effect to our Accessibility Action Plan.	
Plan for future investment in suburban centres
Continue a programme of active planning for key suburban centres that identifies catalyst projects, opportunities for mixed-use development and residential intensification, and investment requirements.
Project	Actions	
Complete town centre action plans – these will identify priorities and funding required for the next 10 years. 
	Update the Centres Policy Implementation Programme – this document sets out the priorities for centres planning and improvements. 
Update existing centres implementation plans – this will involve monitoring the implementation of our existing plans for the central city, Adelaide Road, Johnsonville town centre, Kilbirnie town centre and Newlands centre. 
Develop new action plans for other centres – the focus will initially be on Miramar, Tawa and Karori town centres with other centres to follow, as per the priorities identified in the Centres Policy. Work will include the prioritisation of District Plan changes to provide for key land use changes identified through the action plan process.
Investigate options for community hubs – as our communities grow and change, the type of services and facilities provided must also adapt. Investigate multi-purpose spaces able to be used for a wide range of activities, and to change as the needs of the community do. Community facilities can also be integrated into ground floor retail space. This means the Council does not need to acquire assets to deliver services. It also provides more flexibility as the needs of the community change.	
Suburban main streets – these are the places where local shopping happens and where communities come together. They have high pedestrian use but are also often busy transport corridors. This is about improving the way these main streets function so businesses can get goods in as required, people can get around safely and easily, and they become places where people want to spend more time and money. 	Identify investment priority for main streets and add to the above town centre action plans. Give clear indication of timeframes for delivery and investment to coordinate with private investment.	
Support local business and community led revitalisation initiatives – this is about exploring ways for the Council to support locally-led projects that help deliver benefits for local areas.   
	Establish Business Improvement Districts in key centres and business areas. 
Investigate other mechanisms to enable community-led initiatives – this will support locally-driven actions aimed at revitalising local centres. 
Undertake small-scale trials to test how these projects work – clear parameters around the objectives of the trial will need to be developed. 	

Real transport choices
Transport enables people to get where they need to go – home, work, education, business opportunities, and recreation areas, and to the services they need. Like other well-connected cities, we plan to encourage and prioritise walking, cycling and public transport over other modes of transport. We want people to have reliable, efficient, healthy and environmentally-friendly transport options. However, cars will continue to be a necessary option for many people. The car can provide flexibility for many journeys but can also be inefficient, requiring parking space and creating congestion, especially at peak times. Our role is to make sure these transport choices are coordinated and integrated to support the way we want the city to grow. This includes encouraging developments that will see more people living and working near major public transport routes and centres. 
Cycling has become increasingly attractive as a recreational and commuting activity in Wellington. By encouraging cycling we will increase the carrying capacity of our roads while improving our health and environment. Safety, however, is a significant barrier to many more people cycling. To further increase this mode of transport, we need to provide a safe cycle network that will encourage people of all ages – including students, workers and retirees – to cycle. Wellington is also a highly walkable city. Improving pedestrian safety and experience will encourage more people to walk and keep our city centre, suburban centres, and our streets vibrant, safe and attractive.
Continuing to invest in and improve our public transport system will make Wellington easier to get around, an even better place to live and reduce our car dependency. Regional plans include more efficient and comfortable bus and train services. In conjunction with this we will work with GWRC and the NZTA to deliver enhanced public transport services through the city. This includes a bus rapid transit network in the short-term and further enhancements in the longer term.
Delivery and efficient distribution of goods is essential to the functioning of the city. The port of Wellington, CentrePort, plays a central role in facilitating trade throughout the lower North Island and between the North and South islands. Wellington Airport also plays an important role for high-value, low-weight freight. 

Make Wellington a better city for cycling 
Cycling is a low-cost, low-carbon, healthy and sustainable mode of transport. It is the most efficient form of human-powered transport and allows excellent access during congested periods. It is ideal for short to medium-distance trips, and is an effective alternative to driving, bus or train. With the relatively short distances between the city centre and suburbs, there is good potential to achieve a step change in the number of journeys by bicycle and enhance our transport network.
Project	Actions	
Increase uptake of cycling – despite significant growth in cycling in recent years, there are some barriers, such as safety and topography, which currently limit the number of people using cycling as their main mode of transport. Actively promoting and integrating cycling into urban and transportation upgrade projects will encourage more Wellingtonians to use bicycles for short to medium-length trips.  Our typically narrow roads and compact CBD mean that some road and/or footpath space must be reallocated. This may ultimately mean prioritising cycle lanes or cycle parking over on-street car parking in some areas.  While connected cycle networks are being developed, cycle routes can be integrated with public transport to provide people with more choice. 	Deliver a safe and connected network – provide the best possible standard of cycling service we can, given local conditions. The most important issue is separation from faster moving vehicles. Therefore this will include providing infrastructure to connect key local facilities as well as journeys to the central city. We will also work to make it easier for people to use bikes in conjunction with public transport by providing connections to suburban bus and train stations and increasing the amount of secure bicycle parking in these locations. Where facilities are shared by pedestrians and cyclists, we will endeavour to provide a safe alternative route for faster cyclists.
Priority improvements – we will deliver cycling facilities to connect Island Bay, Newtown and the central city; and cycling and walkway improvements in Kilbirnie. We will also work with NZTA to deliver cycling improvements from the eastern suburbs to the central city as part of the Roads of National Significance planning; and from the Hutt Valley and the northern suburbs into the central city, including along the Hutt Road and Thorndon Quay. We will work to coordinate cycling improvements with bus priority plans for Karori and the southern suburbs. 
Give cyclists priority on key routes – this will encourage more people to cycle in the CBD and suburban centres. Provide bike parking in the CBD and suburban centres at key locations, including reallocating car parking spaces where necessary (every car park can accommodate six or more bicycle parks).
Provide safer speed environments in key areas – where separated cycle facilities are not possible, reduced speeds will be considered to improve cycling safety.
Provide cycle training – for new and less confident cyclists and support bicycles in schools and safe routes to schools.
Review the 2008 Cycling Policy – update this document to reflect the changes in the past six years. 	
Increase recreational cycling opportunities – Wellington already has some of the best mountain biking areas in the world, uniquely close to the CBD. Cycle tourism has significant potential for Wellington, and recreational cycling contributes significantly to Wellington’s quality of life.	Deliver the Great Harbour Way – work with NZTA, GWRC and other stakeholders to deliver the Great Harbour Way.
Integrate cycling into the Miramar Peninsula – work with the community and interest groups to identify additional routes through the peninsula and improve the coastal recreational route.
Work with mountain bikers – to support them to extend their network. 
Improve safety on other recreational routes – including routes through Makara and Ohariu Valley.	
Improve pedestrian accessibility and safety
Walking has major economic, environmental, health and wellbeing benefits. Statistics clearly show more Wellingtonians choose to walk than anywhere else in New Zealand. This is the result of a compact city and good walking opportunities. Walking is the primary mode of transport for short trips up to 1km, and also the way people start and finish trips made by other modes. Walking is important for the economy as it is the primary mode for shoppers, tourists and visitors to the city. It’s important to support walking by making our streets safer and more accessible. 
Project	Actions	
Accessibility improvement plan – building on the Jan Gehl report, Central City Framework and other documents, this plan will identify areas that are not pedestrian friendly and a programme of work to improve them. 	Develop the plan – this will include work to identify the improvements that will have the greatest benefits for pedestrians such as improving key routes people use to access public transport.
Develop the work programme – this will prioritise improvements and align the plan with the Council’s maintenance and renewals programme. It will focus on locations such as transport hubs, schools and the central city, and include work to reduce pedestrian wait times at traffic signals and the provision of shelter.	
Road Safety Policy – a policy that sets the direction for road safety to make the city safer for all modes and reduce the number and severity of accidents involving pedestrians and vehicles. 	Develop the policy – this will include a pedestrian safety and network legibility review that will look at a range of factors including one-way streets, differential vehicle flows and speeds. It will also analyse best-practice examples including shared spaces, speed reductions and street layouts.
Develop the work programme – identify key changes that should be made, secure funding for key projects, and align others with the Council’s maintenance and renewals budgets.	
Walking Policy – continue to implement the Council’s Walking Policy (adopted in 2008) and ensure it has a funded implementation programme.	Monitor and review – report on progress made to date implementing this policy. Review and update the implementation programme to ensure ongoing investment in improvements that will make the city even more pedestrian friendly. 	

Encourage more public transport use
The public transport network includes rail, buses, trolley buses, taxis and ferries, mostly operated by regional and national government. Wellington City Council, as the manager of land use and the street network, has a key role in integrating public transport with residential and commercial activities, and ensuring the main streets and routes people use to get to and from public transport are attractive. Public transport is a considerably more efficient mode for moving people than the private car. It has a much smaller environmental cost, reduces congestion by lowering the number of cars on the road and minimises the need to provide car parking.
Project	Actions	
Advocate for improved provision, reliability and affordability of public transport to encourage more people to use it – a high-quality public transport system is critical to Wellington’s future success and attractiveness as a place to live, work and do business. 	Help deliver a rapid transit spine through the city – work in partnership with GWRC and the NZTA to implement the preferred public transport spine corridors and services. The agreed spine routes will run from Johnsonville to Island Bay and Karori and to Miramar and Seatoun through the city using the Golden Mile. This will integrate the public transport spine with the rest of the public transport network and other transport options, servicing the central city, our key centres and our suburban areas. Where the rapid transit network is to be developed, identify appropriate streetscape improvements that integrate all transport modes and prioritise the needs of pedestrians. Identify sites with potential on this main transport route to better integrate bus stops with other street activity, and achieve development outcomes. Integrate the delivery of public transport priority with cycleways sharing the same corridor in some locations.
Work with GWRC to improve the quality of the public transport experience – this will include working together to help deliver the new route network set out in the Regional Passenger Transport Plan and looking at bus shelters and other amenities to improve passenger comfort. 
Advocate to improve the overall energy efficiency of the bus network – in particular, increase the use of low- carbon and clean-source energy. We support a fully electric service as soon as possible.
Investigate the development potential of the bus terminus – consider whether the arrangement of the city’s main bus terminus area and railway station in the Parliamentary area could be improved, including cycle connections.  Improve pedestrian connections from the station and bus terminus into the central city.	
Taxis and alternatives – it is not possible to provide parking spaces for all taxis so our focus has long been to provide sufficient adequately located taxi ranks in high demand areas. We will monitor the emergence of new delivery mechanisms such as Uber (a ride-sharing service that uses smartphones to connect passengers with drivers).	Ensure taxi and Uber users  are catered for in areas of high demand. 
Continue to work with the taxi industry to find innovative ways to manage taxi ranks more efficiently.	
Ferries	Consider more efficient access to inter-island ferries, including walking and cycling,  as part of the port access plan. See Transformational Growth Areas.	

Improve the road network
Our transport strategy recognises in priority order: pedestrians, cyclists, public transport, moving freight and private vehicles. It is imperative that cars and freight vehicles are accommodated on our road network, but are managed in a way that allows the city to continue to grow as a liveable and vibrant place.
Project	Actions	
Improve the road network – to reduce the intrusion of through-traffic in the city network, we need to plan routes that better facilitate the movement of vehicles from the north of Wellington around the edge of the central city through to the end of the State Highway at Wellington Airport.	Help put into effect strategic transport improvements as part of the Roads of National Significance (RoNS) programme – this NZTA-led programme is focused on moving people and freight safely and efficiently. We will work in partnership with NZTA to leverage maximum benefits for the city from the RoNS projects. The approach may include co-investment, design partnerships, mitigation packages and other mechanisms.
Work with NZTA to implement the Petone to Grenada road link – this proposed road link would improve connections in the region and access to our Northern Growth Area. We will look to maximise the benefits and minimise any adverse environmental and community impacts of this project.
Support NZTA in delivering the Transmission Gully motorway – this road will improve access to and from the north into the city and improve the resilience of the transport network. The Council will continue working with NZTA to minimise any adverse impact from the construction and operation of this project. 	
Review road space allocation – different modes of transport and activities (parking, street trees, tables and chairs) compete for the limited space in our road corridors. The road hierarchy defines the priorities along each type of road, from main arterial to local street. 	Network operating framework – develop principles to be applied when allocating road space across the network. This will vary for different streets depending on their function and the surrounding uses. The provision of bus stops, disabled parking, loading zones, cycle parking, short-term car parking and long-term car parking also need to inform road space allocation.
Review the road hierarchy map – to reflect mode share and road space allocation priorities.	
Make streets easier to navigate – in Wellington, we have a compact city that is relatively easy to move around and the distances we travel are relatively short.  But the way we manage our streets can make it confusing for people to navigate. We need to review the network to understand the parts that cause confusion, reduce how efficiently vehicles can move around the city or affect safety. 	Investigate the economic impact of poor ‘way-finding’ for vehicles  – this includes understanding trip origin and destinations, the route used and how efficient it was, the role of parking, and effect on the distribution of traffic across the whole network.
Review the one-way system – the one-way system aims to improve the capacity of the network for vehicles. However, there are effects that have not been evaluated for some time. A comprehensive review of the system, which defines what the issues are and whether there are suitable alternative options, is required.
Research network legibility	
Car share scheme	Facilitate the provision of a car share scheme – many residents, particularly in the central city, do not own a car. A car sharing scheme would reduce the need for high cost car ownership and parking.	
Manage parking more efficiently
People use their vehicles in the city for different purposes and we need to ensure that we cater for these different needs. This will involve a review of the supply and demand for parking, and the development of a system to deliver smart and economical solutions to meet these needs. Our parking enforcement services play an important role in promoting safe parking and the fair use of parking spaces to support retail and economic activity. 
Project	Actions	
Review and update the Council’s parking policy – streets are a significant city asset. They make up 80 percent of all public space. Streets provide access to businesses and homes, are used to move goods, and allow people to get from one place to another. We need to be smarter about how we provide parking so people can access the services they need, and so we can also efficiently re-allocate some of the space for other modes.	Review and update the Council’s on-street parking strategy – this will include assessing the impact of parking time limits and locations.
Make parking information accessible – publishing parking data including occupancy rates, prices and availability so people can find parks more quickly and efficiently.
Feed into a review of road space allocation – the provision of on-street car parking needs to be balanced against other needs, eg cycle lanes, bus priority lanes and public space improvements where the road corridor is constrained. 
Parking enforcement servicing and pricing – to encourage safe parking and efficient rotation of spaces to support retail and business activity. We will explore emerging technologies that could improve customer experience and efficiency of operation.	
Examine levers for private parking	Discourage the provision of commuter parking particularly in the central city – short-stay parking has greater economic benefit than long-stay as it supports retail and business activity. We will encourage the conversion of long-term parking into affordable short-stay parking or other uses.
Investigate solutions for locations where people are parking to support their use of public transport – this is particularly important in suburban locations where the distance between people’s homes and public transport are further. Locations such as Johnsonville train station are important ‘park and ride’ provisions.
Review District Plan provisions regarding the supply of parking in residential areas.	

Housing supply and choice
Wellington already has an interesting mix of housing. From the cottages in Mt Victoria to modernist apartment blocks of the 1950s, larger houses built on flat suburban lots, houses built onto our steep hills, apartment buildings in the central city, adapted industrial buildings that are now trendy urban lofts, and everything in between. Each type reflects how different people want to live and the needs we have at different stages of our lives.
We need to ensure there is enough supply for the growth we expect (approximately 21,400 additional dwellings by 2043), that it is of a good quality and is in the right locations that are identified for growth. We also need to make sure that the type of housing we encourage is what we will need in the future, taking into account changing demographics such as an aging population and smaller households. Medium-density housing presents an opportunity for providing some of the additional homes we need.
In priority growth areas, there could be opportunities for the Council to more directly facilitate housing development to achieve our goals. In addition, the Wellington Housing Accord provides an opportunity to accelerate housing development in identified growth areas that have planning provisions in place.  

Focus on medium-density housing opportunities.
Medium-density housing ranges from stand-alone dwellings that are built on smaller lots through to terraced housing and apartments that are usually three storeys or less. It is a way of increasing density but still providing many of the elements that people like about housing in suburban areas. 
Project	Actions	
Increase medium-density housing development – encourage high-quality, residential intensification in suitable locations and particularly in our existing Medium-Density Residential Areas (Johnsonville and Kilbirnie). 	Take an active development role – partner with external parties to deliver medium-density housing development in existing growth areas to assist or act as a catalyst.  
Remove barriers – assist external partners to deliver housing that aligns with our vision. Facilitating amalgamation of lots and the like to remove barriers for good quality development. 
Demonstration project – explore partnerships with housing providers and others to build housing demonstration projects on strategic sites.
	
Plan for future medium-density areas around key centres in locations that are well-served by public transport, infrastructure, community facilities and open spaces. The identification of potential medium-density areas will also consider heritage values and existing neighbourhood character.
	Undertake investigations for suitable areas including: Tawa, Karori, Miramar, Newlands, Crofton Downs, Berhampore, Island Bay and Khandallah. 
Investigate future opportunities including public transport corridors, such as future bus rapid transit corridor extension, and other suburban centres.	
Improve the quality of medium-density housing – increase building quality, private and public amenities, and encourage more efficient use of land and greener building standards. 	Review multi-unit design guide – work with architects, developers and other development professionals to improve best-practice apartment and multi-unit development. 
District Plan provisions – devise planning controls and assessment criteria for new medium-density residential areas that promote good quality developments.
Support actions within the Housing Action Plan that improve insulation and other basic housing requirements such as the building WOF programme, accessibility and universal design and safety (CPTED principles).

Encourage a mix of housing types and more affordable options. 
This action area recognises that the city’s housing goals will not be achieved through the delivery of medium-density housing alone. The Council needs to continue to provide for a range of quality and affordable housing choices to meet the needs of the city’s residents.
Project	Actions	
Wellington Housing Accord – work with central government on the implementation of a housing accord that assists delivery of housing within the growth framework. This includes provision for a mix of housing types across a range of locations:
•	low-density greenfield (stand-alone) 
•	medium-density (townhouses and terrace)
•	high-density (apartments).
	Align Special Housing Areas with growth areas identified for residential development and intensification: 
•	Central city
•	Adelaide Road 
•	Johnsonville Medium-Density Residential Area
•	Kilbirnie Medium-Density Residential Area 
•	Lincolnshire Farm residential area 
•	Lower Stebbings Valley.
Investigate the potential for other Special Housing Areas.	
Update our planning framework to reflect our vision for housing – this will ensure that we have a more than adequate supply of housing across a range of types and locations.	Consider changes to the District Plan – this includes reviewing provisions that control infill housing and residential intensification to increase the opportunities for quality compact housing forms in existing suburban areas and areas adjacent to the central city. 
Promote more efficient land use in greenfield areas – this includes exploring opportunities for denser development and subdivision in identified greenfield areas, and completing a stocktake of other greenfield expansion opportunities. This plan’s principle of encouraging densification close to employment, services and quality public transport will also apply in greenfield areas.	

Natural environment 
Our natural assets – including our green belts, streams and coastline – define the layout of the city, and good access to them is one of the things people love about Wellington. We need to recognise the ecological, recreational, and health/wellbeing benefits of our natural assets and align our investment accordingly.
One of our greatest advantages in terms of environmental sustainability is that we are compact and have high levels of walking, cycling and public transport use. We need to take a greater leadership role in developing and encouraging more green infrastructure (such as green-rated buildings and more efficient water capture and use), which are important for the future ecological sustainability of the city, as well as for people’s health and wellbeing.  

Enhance our existing natural environmental assets.
Ensure the natural environment is woven through the city and that people continue to have good access to nature. We also need to support the development of open spaces and track connections in strategic locations that align with the growth framework.
Project	Actions	
Grow our natural capital – our natural capital includes the species and ecosystems that support us. Cities depend on natural capital to provide ecosystem services, such as water management, carbon sequestration and storage, moderation of extreme weather events, prevention of erosion, as well as cultural services such as tourism and recreation, health and wellbeing.  	Biodiversity Action Plan – the ecosystems and species that support us are our ‘natural capital’ and the services they provide are ecosystem services. The Council’s Biodiversity Action Plan sets a vision, objectives and actions for managing this natural capital. The recommendations of the Biodiversity Action Plan will be implemented in the Central Area and aligned with our upgrades and boulevard projects. 
Implement Our Capital Spaces: Open Space and Recreation Framework for Wellington	
Align investment in the natural environment with the plans for growth – ensure Council investment in open space development  aligns with and supports planned population growth.	Continue implementing the ‘Greening Central Wellington’ vision. Explore policy and planning amendments – ensure the Council’s planning framework protects and enhances the city’s natural environment (including natural landscapes and open spaces, indigenous biodiversity and ecological areas). This includes reviewing District Plan provisions to ensure alignment with legislation and other policy requirements.

Watts Peninsula Reserve – work with the Crown and other partners to develop the Watts Peninsula (northern Miramar Peninsula) heritage reserve.	

Reduce the environmental impacts of urban development and transport.

New subdivisions, buildings and transport can have a significant impact on the natural environment. This action area is about promoting and investing in actions to reduce the negative impacts of the city’s growth and development on the environment.
Project	Actions	
Plan for water catchments as we grow – we need to consider the impact our city’s growth may have on water systems. This includes the harbour and coast, the streams that run under the city, and waterways that run through our gullies. These systems should be a celebrated part of both the natural and urban environments.	Integrated catchment management plan – maximise our natural water assets by implementing the integrated catchment management plan for the city; work with developers and other partners to protect, enhance and improve access to the city’s natural ‘blue’ environment; and take opportunities to increase the city’s green infrastructure. 
Minimise the harm of development on our water systems – work with partners to continue reducing sediment and sewage contaminants in the city’s water systems.
Low-impact and water-sensitive design – encourage more low-impact and water-sensitive urban design and sustainable building principles in new subdivisions, building developments and retrofits. Integrate low-impact and water-sensitive engineering solutions into the Council’s Code of Practice for Land Development. Investigate how to embed water-sensitive urban design principles into the District Plan.	
Advocate for low-carbon solutions – transport and urban development are two of the key sectors when considering the reduction of carbon and particulate emissions. We need to encourage development of more efficient, low-carbon buildings and public transport infrastructure.	Emissions Reduction Advocacy – develop and promote active transport facilities and infrastructure. Support the development of electric vehicle infrastructure. Support the implementation of a clean vehicle fleet by working with vehicle industry partners and businesses.
Adopt business management practices (eg internal operations, service provision, asset and property maintenance) that ensure the Council becomes a leader in clean business.	
Encourage sustainable buildings – the way we develop and use buildings has an impact on energy use and emissions. There are benefits for occupants of the building in terms of energy savings, lower maintenance costs for building owners , and for the city as a whole as we work to reduce our carbon footprint.	Encourage green standards for new builds – investigate and develop the opportunities and implementation mechanisms for a Green Building Code. Recognise and promote five-star, green-rated developments in the city.
Identify ways to incentivise green standards and adaptive reuse – there are many buildings that are redeveloped to meet the changing needs of the city, the owners and the tenants. Buildings should be brought up to current building standards and where possible, more sustainable features should also be included.	

City resilience
This action area is about ensuring the city’s built environment is resilient and able to positively respond and adapt to environmental challenges and natural hazard events.
We lead the country in terms of resilience management through identifying earthquake-prone buildings, planning for emergencies and preparing for climate change.  
We are committed to maintaining this leadership role and want to support the continued improvement of the city’s buildings stock and infrastructure to make them more resilient.
Continue to provide leadership in resilience
We need to continue the earthquake strengthening of key public buildings and infrastructure; explore other mechanisms and incentives for private sector support (including for heritage buildings); and support further hazards research to ensure sound planning and investment decisions. 
Project	Actions	
Increase the resilience of the city’s buildings, structures, infrastructure and coastline through research, planning and investment. 	Prioritise vulnerable but high-impact infrastructure for upgrade – complete a study of the capacity, age and state of existing infrastructure and use this to inform the Council’s infrastructure upgrade priorities and investment programme.
Work with partners and the community to develop best-practice responses for existing buildings and infrastructure, and for new buildings in hazard areas.
Explore policy changes to build greater resilience – the policy and planning framework will direct major growth to areas where the risks from natural hazards and climate change can be avoided or mitigated. It will also seek to avoid further major development in areas where the risks are considered too high.
Analysis of the potential impact of storm surges, floods, landslides, slope failure, liquefaction, ground shaking and fault lines on the city’s built environment will continue as the background for our investment decisions as well as the Regional Hazards Management Strategy.
Coastal resilience – continue planning for the improved resilience of our coastal areas against the risk of increased storm events and sea-level rise.	
Secure and protect key resilience infrastructure	Secure and protect critical public infrastructure and emergency lifelines – continue to make critical public infrastructure more resilient. Develop a strategy for ensuring access and protection of buildings and essential services.  
Help secure other networks and facilities – work with others to increase the resilience of the state highways; water, stormwater, sewerage, power and telecommunication networks; and port, airport, education, health and other key facilities.	
Encourage the earthquake strengthening of buildings by working with partners, developing a range of incentives, and by the Council leading by example with its public building upgrades.	Work with partners (including central government, private sector and the banking and insurance sectors) to develop stronger incentives and make financial assistance more accessible for owners upgrading earthquake-prone buildings (eg add to the Council’s Built Heritage Incentive Fund and earthquake-strengthening incentives package). 
Focus support on the strengthening of key heritage buildings and earthquake prone buildings in Cuba Street, Courtenay Place and the Newtown Heritage Area (includes working with partners, financial incentives, information and design guidance).
Complete the upgrade of Council-owned public buildings that are critical facilities in the event of an earthquake.	

Delivering the plan
This section outlines the implementation approach for delivering the Urban Growth Plan. In summary, key aspects of the approach include alignment with:
•	the Council’s Long-term Plan
•	regulatory plans (such as the District Plan) 
•	the Council’s wider strategy and policy framework
•	central government support and contribution
•	infrastructure and service providers
•	developer and delivery agencies
•	community and non-government organisations.

To achieve some of the projects and outcomes identified in the plan, we will need to be more proactive in the development sector. For example, the Council could invest in identified growth areas (eg around suburban centres, key transport nodes or corridors) to help attract private investment and development. In such places, we will explore more active approaches, which could include purchasing and assembling land parcels, partnerships with public or private sector parties, and the development of demonstration projects. 
Investment requirements
Realising the plan’s vision and providing for the city’s future growth and development will require significant ongoing investment, particularly in infrastructure. 
All parties investing in the city are working in challenging fiscal environments so investment programmes will need to be carefully assessed, prioritised and monitored. Compact cities are inherently more efficient. One of the plan’s aims is to enable significant further cost efficiencies through better coordination of different providers’ investment decisions with sequenced changes in land use and community development. 
One of the most significant investment mechanisms we have is to manage demand rather than simply assume the need for new investment across the board. The plan therefore seeks to build on our investment to date by directing new residential and employment development towards parts of the city where there is sufficient infrastructure already in place, or where we are planning infrastructure renewal or upgrades. We will also investigate innovative approaches to funding and financing the infrastructure and services required to deliver this plan.
A detailed implementation strategy will be produced to support this plan. This will identify high priority investments over the next one to three and four to 10 years, these being the terms of the statutory Long-term Plan. It will also identify in less detail investment over the period beyond 10 years.
Implementation approach: key requirements
The following section outlines the key requirements for successfully delivering on the goals and actions of the plan.
1. Aligning and coordinating the Council’s internal operations
Wellington City Council is a significant organisation that owns and maintains more than $6 billion of assets, and currently includes six council-controlled organisations (CCOs).  Achieving the outcomes of this plan will require alignment of our planning, policy-making, internal operations, actions and investments. 
2. Securing central government support and investment
Central government is a key partner in the delivery of the plan. The plan identifies priority projects and infrastructure investment that involve joint funding by central government and the Council. This will help us and central government maximise the outcomes of our investment in the city, through informing the sequencing and location of government-funded infrastructure and services over time.
3. Developing a sustainable financial strategy
We will use this plan to help prioritise our activities, when and where investment is made, to maximise effectiveness and efficiency. This approach will allow us to plan for growth projections, and to transform parts of the city in line with this plan’s vision and key outcomes. It will be critical in the development of our financial and investment strategies – for example, the Strategic Asset Management Framework, Long-term Plan and Financial Strategy. These strategies will detail our activities and investment to support growth and development, and will also identify partner contributions.
4. Building long-term implementation partnerships
The Council will not be able to deliver this plan on its own. We’ll need to work with others to encourage and guide investment, and to remove barriers to the delivery of projects. This includes partnering with the private sector, government agencies, tertiary and education institutions, Māori stakeholders and investors, other Wellington councils and the wider community, to deliver projects. We will also need to communicate and advocate for the plan’s vision so others have clarity about Council investment and phasing, and have confidence to invest in the plan’s vision and city development projects.
5. Matching implementation tools with the outcomes sought
Achieving the plan’s goals and outcomes will require the use of a range of different implementation tools and funding mechanisms. Some actions will be led by the private sector, while others will require Council leadership and/or joint action and investment. Some projects may require the formation of multi-stakeholder project groups; planning or financial incentives; design guidance or infrastructure upgrades.

The Urban Growth Plan Review
Effective monitoring and review processes are critical to the successful implementation of this plan. They will ensure that the steps we are taking are setting us in the right direction to achieving our long-term objectives.
Detailed monitoring and review actions will be created and delivered as part of the implementation plan. This will include detailed target-setting and success measures. These will be integrated with the monitoring and evaluation the Council already carries out to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of its activities and programmes (eg the Long-term Plan and Annual Plan). Key progress indicators may include:
•	Council delivery of transport and infrastructure improvements.
•	changes in journey patterns and mode share.
•	the location and type of new housing development.
•	the number and location of new greenfield residential subdivisions.
•	intensification activities (eg resource consents numbers) in identified growth areas.
•	improvement projects in public spaces and centres implemented.
•	investment in parks and green infrastructure.
•	earthquake strengthening of buildings (eg building consent numbers) and infrastructure. 
•	steps taken to protect our infrastructure and urban areas from the impacts of climate change.
•	Progress on implementing the plan will be reported on every three years to inform our Long-term Plan process. 

Appendix A
Key Relevant Policies and Plans
•	Accessible Wellington Action Plan 2012 / 2015 (2012).
•	Biodiversity Action Plan (2007).
•	Business Improvement District Policy (2013).
•	Centres Policy (2008).
•	Climate Change Action Plan (2013).
•	Community Facilities Policy (2010).
•	Cycling Policy (2008).
•	Development Contributions Policy (2014).
•	Earthquake-prone Buildings Policy (2009).
•	Heritage Policy (2010).
•	Our Capital Spaces (2013).
•	Parking Policy (2007).
•	Public Space Design Policy (2010).
•	Walking Policy (2008).
•	Source Documents
•	Central City Framework (2011).
•	Central City Framework: Approach to Implementation (2013).
•	Space Syntax: City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis (2011).
•	Adelaide Road Framework (2008).
•	Kilbirnie Town Centre Revitalisation Plan (2010).
•	Newlands Centre Plan (2010).
•	Northern Growth Management Framework (2003).
•	Transport Strategy (2006).
•	Urban Development Strategy (2006).
•	Waterfront Framework (2001).
•	Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital (2011).
•	City to Waterfront: Public Spaces and Public Life Study, Jan Gehl (2004).
•	8 Big Ideas (2014).
•	Greening Central Wellington (2002).