LIVE WELLington is issuing a challenge to Victoria University: “Get the funding and the plan in place before you demolish the Gordon Wilson Flats.”

The university is promising to demolish the formerly heritage-listed apartment block on The Terrace in coming months, but has yet to produce plans for its replacement.

“Although the university has said they intend to build new student accommodation on the site, no plans have been shared publicly, despite the University owning this property for more than 10 years.  Recent comments have been vague about the plans and where the funding will come from,” said LIVE WELLington convenor Jane O’Loughlin.

“Previously the University has taken land gifted to it for education purposes by the Government and sold it to developers.  We don’t want to see this happen again.  Gordon Wilson Flats provided affordable accommodation for low income Wellingtonians and the land should be retained for a public good use.”

To give the public reassurance that the University is genuine about its plans, and that the community will get a replacement building that is better than the status quo, LIVE WELLington requests that:

• no demolition takes place until funding is secured for a replacement, and
• plans for the student accommodation are shared with the public in advance of demolition.

“We are challenging the University to halt the demolition of this heritage building until they can reassure the public there is something better on the way to replace it.

“Unless the University has the funding secured and plans in place, there is no hurry to demolish Gordon Wilson Flats, and waiting preserves the opportunity for the University (or another future owner) to realise that retention of the building is a more sustainable solution than sending all that concrete to landfill.”