Tēnā koutou katoa and welcome to our November update on progress with housing redevelopments in Mount Cook. There’s been plenty happening, with site preparation work at Rolleston underway, demolition progressing well to clear the Arlington site, new webpages and a new project director for Arlington.
A connected community - your views needed
We have an amazing opportunity with the community centre, office, parks, play areas, and community gardens at Arlington to help build a vibrant and connected community across Mount Cook – and we need your help to make sure we get it right.
We’ve taken on the ideas and feedback we received from the community last year, and with our partners and architects have developed these further. We’re also considering how these connect to the planned and existing shared spaces at Rolleston and Te Māra Apartments. Please join us at any of the following sessions to share your views:
Drop-in session
Thursday 26 November, Te Māra Community Room, 69 Hopper St, 4.30-6.30pm
Zoom online session
Tuesday 1 December, 5.30-6.30pm (please contact Renee Regal, see below, to be sent details)
‘Mt Cookies’ community afternoon tea drop-in
Tuesday 1 December, Te Māra Community Room, 69 Hopper St, 2.30-4pm
Arlington update
The first stage of clearing the Arlington site for redevelopment has been completed with the demolition of the George Porter Tower by our partner Quality Demolition and Contracting (QDC). To minimise dust spread the QDC team didn’t work on around 30 days with high winds, and made the most of good weather, including working some Saturdays. Thanks for your understanding while this has been done.
We were pleased to be able to divert around a third of the demolition material from going to landfill, with concrete to CentrePort for regeneration work, and scrap metal to recycling. Other recycled items include stoves, baths, water cylinders, cabinetry, piping and rubber matting.
QDC will be starting this month on the next stage of demolition and clearing of the remaining buildings on site, with this work expected to run through until the early months of next year. They will be on site over the end of year holiday period, stripping buildings ahead of demolition. As part of this next stage of site clearance, the pohutukawa trees on Hopper Street which helped with dust mitigation during the tower removal, will need to be taken out. Due to their size they are unable to be transplanted, however a comprehensive landscaping and planting scheme is planned for the development.
We are also working with the building and construction sector to progress getting contractor partners on board for the site civils work and later construction.
Arlington project director
Colleen McCorkindale has recently moved into the role of Arlington Project Director, after more than a year leading the planning for the development. She’s passionate about not only building the much needed homes, but also a well-integrated and connected wider community:
“It’s exciting to be able to continue working on this ground-breaking and much needed housing redevelopment for people in Wellington"
We have an incredible opportunity to create both homes and communities for around 300 households who will, in a few years, call this place their own.
“I see it as my role to make sure we create and help enable the very best homes, shared spaces and support services that we can to support these households. We want people to feel safe and proud of where they live, enjoy the community, parks and recreation spaces, get any support they may need, and feel a part of the wider Mount Cook community.”
What we're building
- 380 warm dry and modern homes:
- 300 at Arlington
- 80 at Rolleston - A mix of public, supported housing and affordable homes
- A range of sizes from studios through to five-bedroom family homes.
- A connected and supported community.
- Completion:
- Rolleston from mid-2022
- Arlington from late 2023 - Community centres, parks, play areas, gardens.
Fruit trees and more for Rolleston
Extensive new planting is planned across the Rolleston site. Fruit trees such as pear, apple, lemon and feijoa will be planted in the common areas for people to harvest and enjoy. Around the edges of the site and street frontages will be native trees such as kowhai, marble leaf and ribbonwood that link back to the nearby green belt, and which will encourage birds to the area.
Larger grade deciduous specimen trees, including ornamental pear and Chinese elm will provide shade and soften the buildings and car parking area, while also providing seasonal change with blossom and autumnal colour. Low level planting throughout the site is a mix of native species, grasses and shrubs.
To provide for a range of uses and age groups, in some of the shared spaces there will be picnic tables, bbq, seating, lawns and a nature play area with logs and stepping stones. There will also be a small vegetable garden, compost and garden shed. Landscaping plans and a tree planting plan are online at the project webpages.
Rolleston update
Enabling works to prepare the site for construction have included site clearance, installing fencing and hoardings, environmental controls, earthworks and excavation, and construction of retaining walls. Some early issues with noise, dust and truck delivery times have been addressed by our build partner Hawkins and some of their contractors. We know this work can be noisy and dusty at times, and we thank those who live nearby for their understanding and patience.
Looking ahead, earthworks for the construction of retaining walls and building platforms will be carried out in November, and backfilling, footings and trenches for services such as electricity, in December. Work will continue through until December 23, close for the holiday break, then start up again on January 5.
Tuesday afternoon teas
All are welcome to ‘Mt Cookies’ community afternoon teas on Tuesdays at Te Māra community room, 69 Hopper St. The drop-ins which are run by Mt Cook Connect start at 2pm with a baking session, or just head along for tea and coffee (and baking!) at 3pm.
Our new webpages
Check out our new project webpages at: www.kaingaora.govt.nz/mtcookwellington for information about what’s planned, images, plans and timelines, and a short early flyover video of the Arlington redevelopment. Let us know what else you’d like to see on these pages.
Contact us
Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to know more:
Renee Regal - Senior Stakeholder Relationship Manager
Phone: 0800 801 601 (please ask to be transferred) or 021 998 724
Email: renee.regal@kaingaora.govt.nz
mountcook@kaingaora.govt.nz
