Missing - 50 hectares of Heritage land and buildings in Thorndon.

The proposed WCC Heritage Management rules as a planned change to the District Plan has been strongly opposed by Thorndon Residents. The council's attempt to preserve what little is left of Thorndon's Heritage was seen by the Thorndon Residents Association as overzealous. (image 158)

Had the Council applied the same principles 50 years ago Wellington would now be world famous for its heritage values particularly Thorndon being its oldest suburb. Unfortunately the powers of the day under Mayor Frank Kitts voted for the Urban Motorway despite opposition from several citizen action groups and a petition signed by 944 concerned residents. The Ministry of Works determined to proceed and advanced the motorcar, promising Thorndon residents a piazza across the urban motorway to access the Bolton Street Cemetery. (image 157)

Under the ruling of Wellington City Council's Capital Plan compensation to pedestrians was registered in the District Scheme in the sixties and materialized in the seventies when Manners Mall was created and opened by Sir Robert Muldoon on the 21st of May 1979 and after the Terrace tunnel became operational.

The reality of both promises: The Ministry of Works never came through with the Piazza, and now the Wellington City Council under Mayor Kerry Prendergast has taken our compensation, in ignorance of past promises and the desecration of 3.700 graves at the Bolton Street Cemetery. By adopting the opposite view for which Manners Mall was created and introducing bus lanes only in a bid to make public transport more efficient it is anticipated this scheme will work. Opponents of the Golden Mile Plan maintain the Victoria / Manners Street intersection is too narrow and pedestrian safety is effectively
already compromised and it won't work for buses being unable to pass one another.

In the meantime the Wellington Resident Coalition announced an urgent Public Transport Meeting be held as soon as possible.

ENDS

© Scoop Media