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In
February 2014, Radio New Zealand reported that Housing New Zealand was in negotiations to sell the flats to Victoria University of Wellington. Neither party to the negotiations would comment. Wellington MP Grant Robertson said he was worried social housing was being driven out of the central city.
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In March 2024, the
Wellington City Council voted to remove the heritage designation from the Gordon Wilson flats in an update of the district plan. As a result of law changes leading to the National Policy Statement on Urban Development, the council's decisions in updated district plans cannot be
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sought assurances that it would remain as social housing, and said he was worried it would be sold off rather than redeveloped. Housing advocates also pointed out that there was a shortage of social housing in
Wellington, especially given the temporary closure of a number of housing complexes for
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had serious doubts about the building's structural integrity and safety. Tenants were only given seven days notice to leave, a move which was criticised by some MPs, who pointed out the lack of other options for ex-tenants, especially at such short notice. Some tenants said they found the process
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The Gordon Wilson Flats have exceptional architectural significance. Not only are they associated with F. Gordon Wilson, one of the most prominent, powerful and influential architects in New
Zealand from the 1930s through to the 1950s but they are the last of a line of highly important high rise
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An engineering firm first reported concerns about the building in April 2010. A later assessment determined that a large person falling on a balcony could cause masonry façades to fall off the building. Housing New
Zealand was more concerned about strong wind or an earthquake event, however, and
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In
September 2014, it was announced that Victoria University of Wellington would purchase the building. The university bought the building because of its proximity to its Kelburn campus, and the potential for it to provide a link between the Terrace and Wai-te-ata Road. The Vice-Chancellor of
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At the time
Housing New Zealand moved tenants out of the building, the organisation said it was determining what to do with the building, and said no decisions had yet been made about its future. Their regional tenancy manager said at the time: "Wellington has a high demand for housing. Our
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In April 2016, a
Wellington City Council panel approved the rezoning of the flats, allowing Victoria University to demolish the building and build anything – possibly student accommodation. The media reported that the prospect of noisy student accommodation worried neighbours.
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In July 2020, the
University revealed plans to rezone the site for institutional use, and to demolish the flats in favour of a development including an 'outdoor entrance plaza and new teaching and research facilities'. The new design was to be called
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against the
Wellington City Council's decision to remove the Gordon Wilson flats' heritage status under Wellington's District Plan. The appeal was successful with the court determining that the heritage listing should stand in August 2017.
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to rezone the area from "Inner Residential Area" to "Institutional Precinct", remove the Flats from the City District Plan’s heritage list, and amend the Institutional Precinct provisions of the District Plan.
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social housing projects built by the state. They were initiated by the first Labour Government of 1935 and they reflect and have a direct connection with international modernism.
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decided to relocate tenants to avoid any problems. "The building is corroding, so it's a progressive deterioration," HNZ assets development general manager Sean Bignell said.
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as a category 1 historic place, meaning any plans to develop the site would need Environment Court approval. Plans for Te Huanui have been "put on hold" since that time.
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is a residential building in central Wellington, completed in 1959. The building was owned by Housing New Zealand and housed 131 people. It is currently owned by
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Evidence presented to the Wellington City Council panel by architectural historian noted the architectural significance of the flats:
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The foundation stone for the building was laid on 6 August 1957, with completion in 1959. The complex housed around 130 people.
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very stressful, particularly given many of the residents had health problems or were refugees who didn't speak English well.
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If the consensus of the community was that the building shouldn't be there, it would certainly suit our views.
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In July 2015, Urban Perspectives Limited, on behalf of Victoria University, lodged an application with
730:"Victoria University plans to demolish heritage-listed Gordon Wilson Flats to create 'new front door'"
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appealed to the Environment Court. The updated district plan only requires approval from the
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830:"Wellington councillors vote for 'generational' change and housing intensification"
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679:"Appeal lodged against decision to take away heritage status of Wellington flats"
580:"Plan Change 81: Rezoning 320 The Terrace and de-listing the Gordon Wilson Flats"
628:"Gordon Wilson flats decision highlights divide between students and neighbours"
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It was subsequently revealed that the purchase price was over $ 6 million.
705:"Gordon Wilson flats to remain standing as court upholds heritage appeal"
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555:"State house sales range from $ 2000 in Northland to $ 2.2m in Auckland"
401:"Gordon Wilson Flats, 314 The Terrace Wellington – heritage assessment"
474:"Everybody out at Gordon Wilson Flats – MP offers help for tenants"
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The Terrace Flats was renamed in honour of government architect
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In July 2016, the Architectural Centre lodged an appeal in the
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The danger sign outside the Gordon Wilson Flats on the Terrace
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780:"Three 20th century Wellington sites given heritage status"
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654:"Kelburn residents angry about non-existent building"
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883:"Demolition by neglect for our heritage buildings"
229:Tenants had to leave the flats in May 2012, after
754:Wellington, Victoria University of (2020-07-27).
857:"National policy statement on urban development"
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913:, produced by wareham cameron + co (May 2015)
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161:who died in its final year of construction.
944:Buildings and structures in Wellington City
311:In February 2021, the flats were listed by
492:"Move from Housing NZ complex 'stressful'"
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238:preference is to upgrade the building".
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602:"Statement of Evidence by Linda Tyler"
518:"No word on future of housing complex"
954:Brutalist architecture in New Zealand
424:"'Large person' could cause collapse"
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375:Te Ara – Encyclopedia of New Zealand
756:"Victoria University of Wellington"
450:"Unsafe flats: 'This is my castle'"
377:. Ministry for Culture and Heritage
217:Vacancy, sale and mooted demolition
939:Apartment buildings in New Zealand
422:Chapman, Katie (30 January 2013).
350:Fensom, Alex (13 September 2014).
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949:1950s architecture in New Zealand
399:wareham cameron + co (May 2015).
152:Victoria University of Wellington
140:Victoria University of Wellington
919:, Wellington Architecture Centre
626:Thomas, Rachel (27 April 2016).
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165:Use as social housing: 1959–2013
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923:Feature article about the flats
828:Johnson, Erin (16 March 2024).
536:"Housing NZ plans to sell land"
371:"Story: Wilson, Francis Gordon"
241:In January 2014, Wellington MP
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881:Kitchin, Tom (11 April 2024).
805:"Gordon Wilson Flats Turn Ten"
652:Robertson, Kate (1 May 2016).
369:Gatley, Julia (8 April 2014).
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861:Ministry for the Environment
448:Nichols, Lane (2012-05-11).
250:Sale to Victoria University
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246:earthquake strengthening.
582:. Wellington City Council
352:"Flats may be demolished"
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553:Hunt, Tom (1 May 2016).
917:Profile of the building
276:Wellington City Council
478:Wellington.scoop.co.nz
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94:41.29109°S 174.77040°E
259:Victoria University,
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208:Earthquake assessment
313:Heritage New Zealand
99:-41.29109; 174.77040
925:, RNZ (August 2018)
911:Heritage assessment
231:Housing New Zealand
148:Gordon Wilson Flats
90: /
42:General information
21:Gordon Wilson Flats
542:. 1 February 2014.
524:. 27 January 2014.
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184:. You can help by
683:The Dominion Post
632:The Dominion Post
607:. 7 December 2015
559:The Dominion Post
540:Radio New Zealand
522:Radio New Zealand
496:Radio New Zealand
428:The Dominion Post
356:The Dominion Post
297:Environment Court
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32:The flats in 2015
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905:External links
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685:. 27 July 2016
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159:Gordon Wilson
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55:Town or city
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586:7 September
454:Stuff.co.nz
97: /
85:174°46′13″E
72:Coordinates
66:New Zealand
933:Categories
894:2024-04-10
867:2024-04-10
814:2022-08-15
790:2021-02-25
765:2022-08-15
740:2020-08-14
715:2020-08-14
459:2016-03-07
331:References
82:41°17′28″S
58:Wellington
689:1 October
306:Te Huanui
120:Completed
110:Named for
841:10 April
433:29 March
193:May 2016
658:Salient
63:Country
47:Address
502:25 May
381:25 May
128:Closed
835:Stuff
784:Stuff
734:Stuff
709:Stuff
663:5 May
637:5 May
611:5 May
605:(PDF)
564:5 May
404:(PDF)
136:Owner
843:2024
691:2016
665:2016
639:2016
613:2016
588:2015
566:2016
504:2015
435:2018
383:2015
131:2012
123:1959
888:RNZ
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
