February 01, 2023
Shelly Bay development starts
Taranaki Whānui leader Kara Puketapu-Dentice has joined developer Ian Cassels and Wellington City Council chief planning officer Liam Hodgetts in breaking the sod for the controversial $500 million development at Shelly Bay.
Yesterday’s ceremony prompted a protest from a small group from the Buy Back The Bay campaign, which says the sea-level site and the former Mount Crawford prison site above are unsuitable for development and should be turned into green space.
The development of 350 dwellings, retail and commercial space is going ahead after Mau Whanau protesters lifted their camp.
The former defence base was bought from the crown as part of the Port Nicholson Block Settlement and then sold onto Mr Cassels’ The Wellington Company because of the high cost of holding and developing the land.
The iwi has options to buy back into the development as it progresses.