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Begonia House

The Begonia House is one of multiple capital projects that Council is considering as part of the Long-term Plan amendment process.

The Begonia House and rose garden viewed from an aerial perspective.

Background 

On 26 November 2024, the Mayor and Councillors met to vote on changes to the capital plan which will be put forward for community consultation as part of the Long-term Plan (LTP) amendment process. This included selecting a demolition option for the Begonia House. 

A final decision about the future of the Begonia House has not been made yet. 

Councillors have requested that officers report back to the Kōrau Tōtōpū Long Term Plan, Finance and Performance Committee in February 2025 with options for remediation of the Begonia House. 

Councillors will make the final decision and adopt the amended LTP in June 2025 once community feedback has been considered. 

What you need to know 

Many of the Begonia House building components are at the end of their serviceable life. This presents an increased risk to public safety, particularly from the building’s glazing system. The glazing system has had several failures with glass panes dislodging during high winds. 

In addition to renewing the glazing, the building also requires renewals to the heating system, the public toilets, the cafe and the staff facilities. Download the most recent Building Condition Survey Report (118MB PDF). 

The indicative business case considered the following six project options: 

  1. Demolish – demolish all buildings except the café and kitchen.  
  2. Iconic Building – renewing the building structure, roof, and walls to preserve its contributing heritage features. The greenhouse is removed, and a renewed flat floor space is created for events. 
  3. Do the minimum – renewals are undertaken where possible, and some assets are demolished and replaced with temporary buildings to ensure the continued operation of Begonia House in its current capacity. 
  4. Partial Scope – new staff facilities, toilets, garden store, services and a new driveway. Existing structures are demolished. The glazing, HVAC system, structure, greenhouse assets, events area, café, and kitchen are all upgraded.  
  5. Meets Scope – new staff facilities, toilets, glazing system and garden store. Existing structures are demolished, and there are upgrades to the structure, greenhouse assets, HVAC system, and events area. Additionally, a new changing facility, driveway, café, kitchen, and seating area are introduced. 
  6. Scope Plus – new events and functions spaces are established on a second and third story. The plan also includes building a new greenhouse structure, greenhouse assets, HVAC system, staff facilities, toilets, glazing system, garden store, and services. Existing structures are demolished, and a new driveway, café, kitchen, and seating area are added. 

Download the Indicative Business Case (9.2MB PDF). Further information about options for remediation of the Begonia House will be presented to the LTP committee in February 2025. 

Having your say 

You can find out more about the LTP amendment consultation process on our Let's Talk website. Residents who sign up for the Let’s Talk newsletter will get an email when public consultation on the LTP amendment opens. 

Timeline for the amended LTP process

26 November 2024 – LTP Committee decides on options for consultation 
17 December 2024 - Committee approves draft budget 
13 March 2025 - Consultation document finalised 
20 March 2025 - Public consultation opens 
20 April 2025 - Public consultation closes 
25 June 2025 - LTP amendment adopted by Committee 
26 June 2025 - LTP amendment adopted by Council 

The Lady Norwood Begonia House - a short history   

  • The Begonia House at Wellington Botanic Garden ki Paekākā was opened in 1960.  
  • The building, which complements the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, is part of a broader landscape originally planned straight after World War II by Edward Hutt. J.G. McKenzie wanted to build a winter garden before World War II but never secured the funding. 
  • The Begonia House is a conservatory – it includes a wide range of plants that are usually found in tropical countries but cannot grow unprotected in Wellington’s temperate climate. 
  • It was built and extended with significant donations from the Norwood family. Sir Charles Norwood was a successful businessman, philanthropist and Mayor of Wellington. 
  • The building and rose garden (opened in 1950) are named for his wife Rosinna Norwood, who donated substantial sums to the garden. The couple were both keen supporters of the city’s parks and gardens.  
  • The fountain was donated by Rosinna Norwood and opened in 1956. This was replaced by a new fountain, donated by the Norwood children, in 1977. 
  • The café was added in 1981, and the lily pond in 1989.
  • The tropical water lily pond was funded by Sir Walter Norwood and added in 1989. The rest of the building underwent extensive renovations in 1990.  
  • The Botanic Gardens was listed on the Pouhere Taonga – Heritage NZ list in 2004. This listing is reflected in the 2024 Wellington City District Plan. 
  • The building was upgraded for seismic purposes in 2013. 
  • The Botanic Garden welcomes around 1.2 million local, regional and international visitors each year. An estimated 238,000 people visit the Lady Norwood Rose Garden, Café and Begonia House each year. 

Contact us

For more information, email annualplan@wcc.govt.nz