From today, anyone with an interest in the area can use the Council’s online survey to tell us what qualities and features would be important for a brand new community.
This initial feedback phase, which closes on 3 September, will help to shape how this area – about 260ha of rural land in Upper Stebbings Valley, Marshall Ridge and the western hills of Glenside – could be developed in the future.
The Deputy Mayor of Wellington and Northern Ward councillor, Jill Day, says the Council is exploring the area’s potential to help meet the city’s anticipated high demand for housing in the next 30 years, with up to 30,000 new homes needed by 2043.
“The Upper Stebbings Valley and Glenside West area is one of the last remaining parts of Wellington identified for new housing so if it’s going to be developed we need to do it right and make it a vibrant place where people want to live,” she said.
“At this stage, the focus is on coming up with options and a draft plan for how it might look, what people would need, and what facilities should be provided.”
Cr Day says this is an opportunity to take a new, more holistic approach to future development in Wellington and put people at the forefront of planning.
“Modern cities must provide attractive neighbourhoods where people want to live and local communities can thrive and prosper – where it’s easy to get around, enjoy nature and the outdoors, and feel connected to others.
“One of our big strengths is that we are a compact city, so we want to find ways for Wellington to grow and accommodate more people without spreading beyond our existing boundaries.”
The planning considerations for Upper Stebbings Valley and Glenside West will include housing density and types of homes; transport choices and connections; parks and greenery; protection of the ecology, landscape, and streams that flow into Porirua Harbour; resilience; heritage and culture; and what community facilities could be needed.
People and organisations with a direct interest in the project, including local residents, landowners, community groups, developers, and local and central government, will be involved in the next few months in the planning for how the area might look. Feedback from the public will be included in this work.
Cr Day says the Council has already worked with the local community, and organisations like Greater Wellington Regional Council, to identify the values and important features of the area.
The plan for Upper Stebbings Valley and Glenside West will be incorporated into a full review of the District Plan and Urban Growth Plan, and this will re-shape how the controls on development influence the future growth and look of our city.
It’s also a key part of the Council’s housing strategy and action plan to improve the quality and supply of housing over the next 10 years.
To give feedback via the online survey, go to the project's page.