Legal action launched over plan to remove cars from Wellington’s Golden Mile

The Golden Mile revamp was signed off in June and July this year by LGWM partners and will cost $139.4 million. Photo / Mark Mitchell

Businesses opposed to Let’s Get Wellington Moving’s (LGWM) plan to remove cars from the Golden Mile have formed a new group and launched legal action.

It comes just over a week before early works are due to begin on the project and after the Herald revealed the contract for major construction work has not been signed.

The National Party has said it would be inappropriate for that contract to be signed this close to the election.

The party’s transport spokesman Simeon Brown said National will scrap the plan in its current form if they get into government and the contract remains unsigned.

The Herald can now reveal Morrison Kent partner Michael Wolff sent a legal letter to Wellington City Council (WCC) today on behalf of a new group called Guardians of the Golden Mile (GGM).

The group is made up of affected businesses with “serious concerns” about the Golden Mile, which is a project within the $7.4 billion LGWM plan.

Wolff said the group was disappointed the project was going ahead when businesses have raised genuine and widespread concerns with decision-making and consultation processes.

“We have identified credible and concerning issues with LGWM’s decision-making process in relation to the project, and in the WCC’s recent decision to commit significant finances to funding the project.

“For the project to proceed without relevant project benefit-costs analysis being disclosed suggests LGWM is seeking to prevent relevant stakeholders from understanding the pros and cons of the project and withhold evidence of GGM’s legitimate concerns.”

WCC spokesman Richard MacLean said the council had no comment, given it had only just received the letter.

“Our lawyers have to sit down and digest the content.”

Wolff also provided a draft statement of claim for judicial review proceedings.

The group wants LGWM to stop work on the Golden Mile while the legal claim is being reviewed and sought assurances binding contracts will not be entered into during this time.

The Golden Mile is the stretch of road from the Embassy Theatre, along Courtenay Place, Manners and Willis Sts, and the length of Lambton Quay.

LGWM will remove private vehicles, create dedicated bus lanes, bike lanes, and wider footpaths to prioritise walking and cycling. There will be better lighting, more public seating, more planting and outdoor dining, which it is envisaged will help revitalise the area.

The revamp was signed off in June and July this year by LGWM partners and will cost $139.4 million.

Georgina Campbell is a Wellington-based reporter who has a particular interest in local government, transport, and seismic issues. She joined the Herald in 2019 after working as a broadcast journalist.