Te whakapai ake i ngā tahuaroa tūmatanui
Improving public spaces

We are designing public spaces with safety in mind, so that you feel that they are vibrant, welcoming and well-maintained.

Crime prevention through environmental design

Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is is a tool that makes communities safer through strategic neighbourhood planning. Through a set of safety principles, CPTED helps to deter criminal behaviour, reduces fear of crime and increases perceptions of safety.

We're applying the methodology to all public space improvements. Below are three examples of CPTED in the city.

Dixon Street urban design improvements

These changes are designed to increase the safety and vibrancy of the area. We’ve opened the area up to pedestrians, brightened the space with outdoor dining and improved sightlines into Te Aro Park. Attracting more people to the area will bring the buzz back and reduce opportunities for anti-social behaviour.

Read our news release New and improved Dixon Street open for business.

Removal of Te Aro Park toilets

We're removing the Te Aro Park toilets in late 2022. Due to their position and design, the current toilets create an area that is concealed and secluded making the space susceptible to crime and anti-social behaviour.

A new public toilet facility will be built across the road in Inglewood Place. This new location has been chosen due to its high foot traffic and visibility to CCTV. The new facility will be designed in accordance with CPTED principles.

Read more about the Dixon Street and Te Aro Park design improvements

Increased lighting on Courtenay Place and Opera House Lane

We’ve upgraded the lightbulbs in the streetlights on Courtenay Place to LED. These are much brighter which will mean the area is well lit and more inviting. The change was completed in November 2021. Tactical flood lighting has been installed down Opera House Lane, making the laneway much brighter at night-time.

Ongoing urban design audit

As part of our work to prevent sexual violence in Wellington, the Pōneke Promise is applying a sexual violence prevention lens on urban design changes in the central city to help identify things we need to be aware of when we design spaces to make them safer for all.

We’ve hosted the Wellington Alliance Against Sexual Violence (WAASV) and accessibility advisors on a daytime and night-time walkabout around Dixon St to Courtenay Place to gather feedback first-hand from the community on areas that look and feel unsafe.

More information

Explore the Pōneke Promise focus areas below:

Contact us

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Email pōneke.promise@wcc.govt.nz if you have questions about the Pōneke Promise.

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