So much has changed since the Wellington City Council voted in June 2021 to strip demolition protection from more than two-thirds of the city's character areas.

LIVE WELLington argues it's time for a re-think, and to strike a better balance.  We provided this letter to Wellington councillors, in the lead up to the notification of the proposed District Plan on 23 June 2022.

A survey of Wellingtonians has found that while there is support for increasing density in the inner city suburbs, it must be done with care, and there is considerable unease about the Wellington City Council’s plans to remove protections for pre-1930s houses in the inner city suburbs.

The latest official assessment of Wellington’s housing needs shows sufficient capacity in Wellington’s inner city suburbs to meet future growth for the next 30 years, meaning the drive by the council to decimate inner city character areas is unwarranted and must be abandoned now, says LIVE WELLington.

Will letting developers loose on our inner city suburbs deliver us from the evil of ever-escalating house prices?

Phil Kelliher explains the issues in this blog for LIVE WELLington.

An audience of around 90 people turned up to hear a panel discussion on urban design and density done well, at St Peter’s Church on 5 May 2022, organised by LIVE WELLington and Inner City Wellington.

Wellington needs robust people-centric design and thoughtful planning to remain a liveable and attractive city, says LIVE WELLington, a new group set up to champion Wellington as a liveable city for all.

Housing, climate change, earthquake resilience and ageing infrastructures are among the many challenges we face, says spokesperson Jane O'Loughlin.  “This needs joined-up thinking to prepare for the future while protecting what we love about Wellington.”

Get ready to have your say on the first draft of the new Wellington District Plan by December 14^th. The District Plan is the rule book for land use and determines what needs a resource consent so it's vital we all speak up for a liveable Wellington for all. 

Submissions have closed on the Resource Management (Enabling Housing Supply and Other Matters) Amendment Bill as of midnight on Tuesday 16^th. This blunt one-size-fits-all Bill allows three storey buildings on any residential site, without regard to the landscape or effects on sunlight or amenity. Everyone deserves a warm, dry, affordable home in a thriving community. This includes people in existing homes.