Before a Board of Inquiry

Basin Bridge Proposal

Under the Resource Management Act 1991 (the Act)

In the matter of a Board of Inquiry appointed under section 149J of the Act to consider the New Zealand Transport Agency's notice of requirement and five resource consent applications for the Basin Bridge Proposal.

Statement of Evidence of Elizabeth Janice McCredie Urban Design for the Mount Victoria Residents Association (MVRA)

Dated 17th December 2013

CON ANASTASIOU Telephone: (04) 499 4655 Facsimile: (04) 472 1899 Barristers and Solicitors PO BOX 10779 Solicitor C, Anastasiou DX: SP23550 Wellington

STATEMENT OF EVIDENCE OF JAN MCCREDIE FOR THE MOUNT VICTORIA RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION [MVRA]

CONTENTS

Introduction 3 Executive Summary 5 The Proposal 6 Context 8 Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan + 15 Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital Space Syntax 18 “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011 International Best Practice 18 The Issues 20 Review Richard Reid Proposal 32 Conclusions 33 Recommendation 34 Annexure 1 35 Annexure 2 39

2 INTRODUCTION

1) My name is Elizabeth Janice McCredie [known as Jan McCredie] I am a practicing urban designer based in Sydney NSW Australia

Qualifications as an Expert

2) I hold the following tertiary qualifications i) Master of Urban Design, University of Sydney NSW Australia ii) Diploma of Town and Country Planning, University of Sydney NSW Australia iii) Master of Architecture, University of Sydney NSW Australia iv) Bachelor of Architecture, University of Sydney NSW Australia 3) The area of expertise upon which I have drawn for the preparation of this evidence is strategic urban design. This is the design methodology of the Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan and the area in which I have focused in my career including my teaching. It is particularly relevant to the Basin Bridge Proposal 4) I am a: i) Life Fellow of Australian Institute of Architecture. (AIA) 2010

ii) Member Planning Institute of Australia (PIA) 2003 – present 5) I am the recipient of numerous urban design awards including: i) 2010 The Marion Mahoney Griffin Award Australian Institute of Architects ii) 2005 PIA Strategic Urban Design National Award, Coastal Design Guidelines iii) 2006 Australian Institute of Landscape Architects Auburn Public Domain Framework iv) 2001 RAPI Planning Scholarship Research Mixed Use and Residential Subdivision v) 2001 RAPI Presidents Award Safer by Design vi) 2001 RAPI Town Beach DCP -Port Macquarie vii) 2000 Australian Property Industry (API) Award Public Practice viii) 2000 RAPI Gold Medal Award Can You Legislate for Good Urban Outcomes? ix) 1998 IMM The SMH Management Excellence Awards Focussing on Customer Service x) 1997 Australian Council of Building Design Prof. Urban Design in Australia Pyrmont Point xi) PIA National Urban Design Award Pyrmont Point Urban Design Strategy and Master Plan 6) I currently provide design expertise to Local Government Planning Design Panels in North Sydney Council; Parramatta City Council; Waverly Council and Liverpool City Council NSW Australia. I run the Urban and Regional Urban Design Course at the University of New South Wales [UNSW]. I am a guest lecturer at the University of Sydney and UNSW and a Land and Environment Court Expert 7) Key relevant highlights of my career are: 8) Wellington | Manager City Strategy + Urban Design, Wellington City Council, NZ 9) Responsible for: i) The Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan [SSP] [the predecessor of Wellington Towards 2040:Smart Capital] The SSP linked the design process to the Space Syntax “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011. The objective was to establish the direction for the

3 built form and to integrate the built form with the movement strategy including the location of public transport. ii) Public Domain Manual and Lighting Strategy 10) Manukau |Group Manager Urban Design, Manukau City Council, NZ 11) Responsible for: i) Manukau City CBD Spatial Structure Plan and Built Form Controls ii) Manukau City CBD Public Domain and Technical Manual iii) Flat Bush Master Plan. iv) Mangere Town Centre Plan v) Introduction of Cultural Mapping vi) Wiri Spatial Structure Plan (under development) vii) Residential Apartment Design Guidelines viii) Manukau CBD Health Impact Assessment ix) Liaison with the Community; Transport and Traffic Authorities; Rail + Airport Authorities x) Manukau Design Group: Urban Design Panel, June 2007-2009 12) Director, Urban Design Advisory Service, Planning NSW, Sydney NSW Australia 13) Responsible for: i) Implemented the N.S.W Premier’s Design Quality Program including SEPP 65 ii) The Residential Flat Design Pattern Book iii) Prepared final draft the Residential Flat Design Code [RFDC] iv) Completed 150 urban design projects; Development Control Plans [DCPs]; master plans; urban design reviews. 14) Publications 15) UDAS i) The Residential Flat Design Pattern Book ii) The Residential Flat Design Code [RFDC] iii) Mixed Use in Urban Centres: Guidelines for Mixed Use Development iv) Residential Subdivision: A handbook for the design and planning of new neighbourhoods. v) The NSW Coastal Design Guidelines 16) OTHER i) The Design Dividend [with Prof Peter Droege]

Code of Conduct

17) I have read the Code of Conduct for Expert Witnesses [Sec 5 of the Environment Court Practice Note] I agree to comply with this Code of Conduct. The evidence is within my area of Expertise except where I state that I am relying on what I have been told by another person. I have not omitted to consider material facts known to me that might alter or detract from the opinions that I express.

4 18) The data, information and facts and assumptions that I have considered in forming my opinions are set out in that part of the evidence in which the opinions are expressed. The land areas I have used are approximate and are scaled from drawings 19) The literature or other material that I have used or relied upon in support of my opinions is referenced in the body of my evidence.

The New Zealand Urban Design Protocol

20) I commence my evidence with a brief reference to the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol [UDP] This identifies aspects of quality urban design that have informed the preparation of my evidence. The UDP was prepared for the Ministry of the Environment. 21) The UDP identifies 7 essential qualities that create quality urban outcomes. These are: i) Context ii) Character iii) Choice iv) Connections v) Creativity vi) Custodianship vii) Collaboration 22) These qualities are a combination of design skills; design processes and outcomes. Although they are all important in evaluating the Basin Bridge Proposal in Wellington CBD the response to context is of particular relevance.

Ambit of my Evidence

23) In this matter I am representing the Mount Victoria Residents Association [MVRA] 24) The nature of the urban design issues I address overlaps with expert evidence in the fields of heritage + historical development [Government House; the National War Memorial, the Basin Reserve; the Crèche and the street pattern]; crime prevention and safety [CPTED]; economic performance related to city design and movement systems [Space Syntax] 25) For the purpose of preparing this evidence I have undertaken recent site visits to Wellington City; the Basin Reserve and the surrounding precinct. I have reviewed the various proposal documents, visuals and Technical Reports. 26) I lived in Wellington City from September 2009 – October 2010. At that time I was Manager City Strategy + Urban Design, Wellington City Council. I prepared the brief for and oversaw the development of the Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan [SSP] and the Space Syntax “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

27) This evidence briefly outlines the proposal and the suggested measures of mitigation of the New Zealand Transport Association [NZTA] for a grade separated traffic management solution at the Basin Reserve Wellington known as the Basin Bridge Proposal.

5 28) Under the heading of Context the evidence provides a general description of Wellington and the Basin Reserve precinct. This includes the Government House; The National War Memorial; The Basin Reserve Roundabout; The Basin Reserve Cricket and sporting venue; the related street systems including Kent and Cambridge Terrace and the surrounding suburbs. 29) Reference is made the method and intent of the Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan and the Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital. The SSP linked the design process to the Space Syntax “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011. Questions are raised by the later document and the international best practice material as to the validity of introducing grade separated roads into cities. The vision of Wellington is a walkable compact city that requires better integration of traffic management; 30) The critical evidence is related to The Issues. This section outlines the impacts of the proposal on Wellington City and on the Basin Reserve precinct .The impacts are physical, culture and social. They are negative, varied and extensive. As this is urban design evidence the physical impacts are described with the understanding that they affect the cultural and social. 31) Wellington city in the south is severed from the north. The memorable entry to the city losses its “wow” factor The Roundabout is no longer the major distributing movement system between north and south, east and west .The formality and power of Kent and Cambridge Terrace linking harbour to open space and beyond is lost. Most of the significant view shafts and view sheds are lost. Two of the nations cultural symbols, Government House and the National War Memorial have reduced presence. The Reserve Basin as a space, a venue, a cricketing icon and an historic place becomes no more than an oval beside a motorway .The Basin Bridge takes approximately 11,000 square metres of land additional to the current road layout and has direct physical and visual impacts on the surrounding suburbs. 32) The evidence acknowledges that the designers Athfield Architects and Wraight Associates have attempted to address the many issues introduced by the Basin Bridge Proposal but concludes that the concept of the proposal is fundamentally flawed. Because of this the design process is not able to “design out“ the many negative impacts. 33) A description of the proposal by Richard Reid for an “at grade” solution is outlined. It is an elegant solution, in line with Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital. The proposal retains all the key spatial organizing elements of the city and provides the potential to reinforce them . This includes the north- south spine ; the Basin Reserve Roundabout and the view shafts and sheds . It reinstates the role of the Roundabout, defines the spatial structure of Kent and Cambridge Terrace and Adelaide Road and has no additional impacts on the adjacent suburbs. It enhances the great “bones“ of Wellington to take it into the future. 34) The evidence concludes that the Basin Bridge Proposal has substantial negative impacts on Wellington and on the Basin Reserve Precinct. The strong recommendation is to not approve the Basin Reserve Bridge Proposal

THE BASIN BRIDGE PROPOSAL

35) The New Zealand Transport Association [NZTA] has lodged an application under the Resources Management Act 1991 for one notice of Requirement and five resource consents for the Basin Bridge Proposal. The application is referred to as the Basin Bridge Proposal. The Proposal involves the 6 construction, operation and maintenance of State Highway 1 in the vicinity of the Basin Reserve Cricket Ground, within the Wellington City central area and the adjacent suburbs of Mount Victoria, Newtown and Mount Cook. 36) The Basin Bridge Proposal introduces an above ground, grade separated, motorway from Patterson Street at the western end of the Mount Victoria Street tunnel to the Buckle Street underpass. The motorway is designed to accommodate two lanes of traffic travelling in a westerly direction. The motorway is supported on seven groups of piers. The motorway curves north at approximately 140 metres from the Mount Victoria Tunnel exit. It then aligns with Buckle Street. The underside of the roadway is approximately 8.0 metres above the ground at the central point where it passes over the southern end of Kent and Cambridge Terrace. Here the alignment is perpendicular to Kent and Cambridge Terrace and aligned with Buckle Street. A cycle / pedestrian way is attached to the road on the western end but separates from the motorway on the eastern end. It terminates at the ground just north of Patterson Street .The additional area of land on the north-east quadrant containing this part of the motorway is approximately 11,000 square metres. 37) Accompanying the proposal is a series of measures that are aimed at mitigating some of the impacts of the motorway. These include the building known as the Northern Gateway Building; a new building under the flyover on the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street; a green screen above this building and related to the Grandstand Apartments; a screen to the existing Players Pavilion; the extension of Memorial Park to Cambridge Terrace and substantial landscaping . 38) The Issues 39) The introduction of an above ground, grade separated motorway has physical, cultural and social consequences. 40) The negative impacts of the project that are identified by the design team of Athfield Architects and Wraight Associates include the entrance to Government House; Basin Reserve and its use as a cricket venue; loss of views and view shafts; the relocation of the former Home of Compassion Crèche; the loss of a defined corner at the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street; the outlook from the Grandstand apartments; the propensity of the under-croft of the motorway to be an unpleasant area; the problem of relating the different geometries of the street grid from Patterson Street to Buckle Street with the movement requirements of a motorway and the entrance to St Marks Church School . 41) The positive impacts are the extension of Memorial Park to Cambridge Terrace and the reduction in traffic on the southern side of the roundabout 42) Additional impacts that have been identified in the proposal include the impact on the image of the city and the quality of the entrance to the city; severing the north / south movement and landscape spine of Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road segregating the north of the city from south; the value of Basin Reserve as a roundabout; the journey to Government House; the disparity of approach between putting a cut and cover motorway in front of the War Memorial [Buckle Street Underpass] and an above grade motorway directly beside it; the amount of additional road affected land that cannot be developed; the impact on the economic performance of the city; the impact on the properties around the precinct; and the failure to adhere to the vision in Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital .

7 CONTEXT

Wellington City Urban Context

43) The context of any city laid out pre World War 2 is intrinsically related to the topographical features and cultural conditions. Wellington City is no exception. Furthermore unlike many cities the initial city layout has been respected by successive Wellington City Councils. Wellington has retained its original green belt when many cities rezoned theirs for development [e.g. Green Belt in County of Cumberland Plan Sydney 1947 was subsequently rezoned ] 44) The “green belt” comprises the hills around Wellington Harbour known as the Town Belt. Growth has been concentrated in the city area and sprawl limited. Public transport has been instigated and supported. Residential development has been encouraged in the CBD with no requirement for parking. All these initiatives have been visionary and have helped make Wellington the only compact walkable city in Australasia. The only city used by its residents in the European tradition of a city. University students walk through the city on graduation; conferences are held in a variety of venues scattered through the city and the event venues are integrated within the town .The ‘at grade’ gridded street system, the fine grain precincts and diversity of uses are major contributors to this quality .The dominant physical chacteristics of Wellington are: i) The topographical setting of hills [Town Belt] and harbour ii) The views along the streets to hills and harbour iii) The waterfront iv) The contiguous hirerarchical gridded street pattern v) The diversity of land uses including education , sporting ,commercial , retail , entertainment , port vi) The ease of walking vii) The multiple pedestrian access ways [over 500] to the city from the surrounding suburbs viii) The public transport ix) The strategic location and relationships of key cultural and civic facilities throughout the city 45) Wellington is the Capital City and a tourist destination . The CBD area of Wellington sits within a flat basin of land on the southern shore of Wellington Harbour. The Town Belt circles the city on the east and west. There is a valley that runs north-south between the Town Belt. This links Wellington Harbour to Island Bay and Cook Strait. This topographical feature is reflected in the street system by the major north- south spine of the city Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road. Wellington is currently a city with a limited number of motorways although it suffers from traffic dominated roads in key places. 46) The CBD is structured by two related street grids .The downtown CBD radiates out from Kent and Cambridge Terraces around Lambton Harbour on the flat ground. The fine grain grid on the north- west edge [1 acre square blocks] of the city is juxtaposed with the larger grid of the Te Aro precinct These street grids link to an edge street curving around the harbour. The edge street comprises Customhouse Quay, Jervois Quay, Cable Street and Oriental Parade. Small triangular spaces or buildings are located where the grids and the harbour edge street intersect. 47) The street pattern is orthogonal and hierarchical. It reveals the topography beautifully. Classic long views to the hills or to the harbour are well defined by buildings along the straight streets. Positioned 8 within this overall city structure are the minor and major special places and spaces. These have spatial, cultural and social significance. 48) In common with all cities and towns laid out at this time approximately 80% of Wellington city is basic urban fabric. The basic urban fabric comprises the street pattern; most of the streets and the residential and commercial buildings. Approximately 15% of the city comprises ‘special’ elements. These are points of minor difference and include buildings and spaces such as important streets and intersections and minor civic buildings etc. In Wellington this would include places such as Taranaki Street, Victoria Street, Lambton Place, Courtenay Place, the Creche and the small triangular parks. Approximately 5% of the city comprises ‘special’ buildings and spaces. These are points of major difference and are usually those elements of which there is only one in the city or the nation. In Wellington these would include buildings and spaces such as the Parliament House Precinct; Government House; The New Zealand War Memorial; Te Papa; Kent and Cambridge Terrace; Basin Reserve and Roundabout; the Botanic Gardens; the Mount Victoria Tunnels and the Customhouse Quay, Jervois Quay, Cable Street and Oriental Parade suite of streets. 49) The characteristics of Wellington are special and the envy of many cities. Any interventions into the city therefore should retain and enhance these qualities

The Entry to Wellington

50) The main entrances to Wellington include the Port , the coast road around Oriental Bay, along SH1 Wellington Urban Motorway from the west and the direct route from the airport through the Mount Victoria Tunnel. Currently the route around the Bays along Mount Victoria to the Tunnel on the east , the confinement of the tunnel and the expansive view over the city on leaving the Tunnel provides one of the most impressive entries to any city. On leaving the Mount Victoria Tunnel there is an expansive view to the Carillon, the Basin Reserve and across the city to Wellington Harbour and the Town Belt. 51) “Then out of the tunnel and Wellinton Burst like a bomb. It opened like a flower “ Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital

Views

52) There are expansive views to and from the Basin Reserve precinct .These are the views across the city from the top of Patterson Street after leaving the Mount Victoria tunnel; from the War Memorial and to the War Memorial and from the high points in Mount Victoria 53) The Reserve Basin precinct has a series of views defined by the streets [view shafts] and it also has expansive views [view sheds] . The view shafts terminate on the Basin Reserve, the Town Belt or the Memorial Park Extension .They are created by the orthogonal grid of the street pattern and the topography and they are edged by buildings. These views occur along Kent and Cambridge Terrace south to the Basin Reserve; from Patterson Street to the Basin and the War Memorial; from Buckle Street to the east and up Ellice Street to the Town Belt; down Ellice Street to the west and to the Memorial Park Extension, from Hania Street to the south and the Basin Reserve and along Dufferin Street to Government House entrance.

9 54) The main view shafts across Kent and Cambridge Terrace and from Kent and Cambridge Terrace to the Town Belt on the east are: Courtenay Place and Majoribanks Street ; Vivian Street and Pirie Street ; Tennyson Street and Elizabeth Street and Buckle Street and Ellice Street . These views to the Town Belt create a pattern in which Patterson Street and Ellice Street are important elements.

The Basin Reserve Precinct Urban Context

55) Within the immediate setting of the Basin Bridge Proposal there are 7 highly significant civic places and spaces. Some of these are of major significance in the nation; some are of major significance in the city and some are of minor significance. The places and spaces are: i) The north -south valley spine of Kent and Cambridge Terrace, Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road ii) The Basin Reserve Roundabout iii) The Basin Reserve iv) Government House v) The New Zealand National War Memorial vi) The former Home of Compassion Crèche vii) The Mount Victoria Car Tunnel

The North-South Spine: Kent and Cambridge Terrace, Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road

Spatial Structure

56) The key north-south spatial spine of Wellington is along the valley between the horseshoe shape defined by the Town Belt It is a landscape corridor that is part of the major movement corridior along the valley.It commences at the Lambton Harbour edge in the north; and includes Kent and Cambridge Terrace; the Basin Reserve ; Adelaide Road; Ridderford Street and The Parade. Adelaide Road forks at Newtown where Ridderford Street the easterly fork, continues to the open space system of Newtown Stadium and the Wellington Zoo.The westerly fork becomes The Parade and terminates at Island Bay. This movement corridor is enclosed by the hills of the Town Belt on the east and the west .This spatial system links water to water. It is the only continuous way through the city that does not involve traversing the hills. 57) Kent and Cambridge Terrace has the structure of a great city street. Together the parallel streets create the most formal street in Wellington. This formality is a combination of street width, [Each street is approximately 15 metres wide with a 8-10 metres central planted median]; the direct alignment to the water and potential for a re connection to the Harbour; the historical provision of a canal reserve; the termination points of the Harbour at the northern and the Basin Reserve at the south end; the consistent alignment of buildings along the edges; length and permability; the potential landscape relationship to the National War Memorial and the gentle fall to the sea from the Basin Reserve. Kent and Cambridge Terrace is distnctly diferent in plan and section from any street in Wellington, and it connects to important city open spaces at each end.

10 Built Form

58) The power of the North-South Spine: Kent and Cambridge Terrace, Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road 59) has not yet reached its full potential .There are three reasons for this. Firstly the view focus of Kent and Cambridge Terrace at the northern end is to the back of the New World supermarket rather than the harbour. Secondly the buildings facing the street are an ad hoc mixture of low scale semi industrial, commercial and residential. Because of this the full impact of the width and spatial structure of the street is not fully legible . Thirdly some of the blocks in Te Aro are large for an urban context [approximately 300 meters by 250 metres] They have small streets within the overall block but often these do not connect through the block . This limits the number and / or the length of cross streets that can feed Kent and Cambridge Terrace. Over time, however, as Te Aro becomes intensified and populated with mixed use development there is the potential to reinforce Kent and Cambridge Terrace with a strong built edge, reduce the size of the larger Te Aro blocks to a finer grain and redevelop the New World site so that the views to the water are reinstated. The sketch from the SSP clearly illustrates how redevelopment of the Kent and Cambridge Terraces can incrementally transform the street and precinct . [Wellington 2040 Street Structure –te aro north south street structure] 60) On the eastern side of Kent Terrace the street blocks run along the contours reflecting the slope of Mount Victoria. They have limited connections to Kent Terrace. The street blocks however are fine in grain and much of the housing behind the Kent Terrace frontage is high quality and well maintained. 61) The built form around the Basin is ad hoc and mixed in scale and quality. The entry gates to Government House are located on the south-east corner. A new apartment building of 6 storeys is currently being constructed in Rugby Street on the southern side of the Reserve .The lack of a strong built edge around the Basin reduces the potential impact of the Basin Reserve as a defined space and the potential for a strong edge condition to contrast with the entry gates of Government House. 62) The spatial quality of Adelaide Road also has the potential to be reinforced by buildings as the building stock is upgraded. Adelaide Road however has and will always have limited permability because it is only fed by short streets on the east and on the west. Its designation as a Growth Spine reflects its importance within the city and public transport system. Over time the mixed use buildings of greater density that are planned for Adelaide Road will strengthen the spatial characteristics of this main southern road and public transport spine. Definition of these three linked spaces Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road by the buildings and planting has the potential to reinforce them as the primary north-south spine of Wellington. 63) I raise the issue of the current shortcomings in the built form in Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and along Adelaide Road in my evidence because if these streets were currently built at their planned future scale, alignment and use the introduction of a motorway would I believe be unlikely to be considered. Degradation of the area around the Basin Reserve Precinct has meant that the proposed roading intervention appears more benign and less detrimental to the precinct and to the city .

11 The Basin Reserve Roundabout

64) The Basin Reserve Roundabout is a generous rectilinear space approximately 250 metres east-west by 220 metres north-south .The Basin Reserve itself is edged by streets and these form the roundabout. Buckle and Ellice Streets are located on its northern side, Dufferin on its east, Rugby on the south and Sussex Street on the west. 65) The roundabout is also the focus of a series of mid-point streets. Kent and Cambridge Terrace meets the Basin Reserve on the northern side on the central axis; Adelaide Road meets the Basin Reserve on the southern side on the central axis and Patterson Street meets the Basin Reserve on the eastern side on the central axis. Paterson Street is a spilt street that curves slightly from the Mount Victoria Tunnel to meet the Reserve. 66) Three streets enter the roundabout at the corners. Buckle Street on the north-west corner; Ellice Street on north-east corner and Rugby street on the south-west corner. The Reserve Basin therefore has three streets that terminate on central locations, four streets that surround it and three streets that meet the roundabout at the corners. 67) Although called a roundabout the Basin Reserve Roundabout is an adaptation of a traditional junction of streets . It is not round but rectangular with curved corners, three being geometrically similar and one, the north-east corner, being more cut away. Within this rectalinear space the circular Basin Reserve cricket ground is located . Because of the multple entry points and because the entry points come from mid points as well as corners the Basin Reserve has the dimensions and charcteristics of a traffic circle but the operating characterics of a roundabout. 68) “Numerous circular junctions existed before the advent of roundabouts, including the Bath Circus world heritage site completed in 1768, the 1907 Place de l'Étoile around the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, the 1904 Columbus Circle in Manhattan, and several circles within Washington, D.C., however, the operating and entry characteristics of these circles differs considerably from modern roundabouts.” .The traditional traffic circle is much larger than a traffic roundabout. Originally it did not have ‘give way’ to the traffic on the roundabout or ‘split’ entry points. These were introduced in the UK in 1963. [Wikkepedia] 69) The Basin Reserve “Roundabout” is an adapted rectangular traffic circle that operates as a roundabout. It is unique in the world in that it surrounds and defines a cricket ground,

The Basin Reserve

70) Originally a lake and then a swamp the Basin Reserve was drained to become Wellington's official cricket ground in December 1866. The first Test match played at the ground was between New Zealand and England in January 1930. One-day international cricket was played at the Basin Reserve until 1999, after which it shared the role with the larger crowd capacity of Westpac Stadium The New Zealand Cricket Museum is located in the Old Grandstand [ The Pavillion ] It houses cricket memorabilia and a reference library. 71) The Pavilion has been a Category II registered Historic Place since 1982, and the entire Basin Reserve has been a registered Historic Area since 1998.The Basin Reserve is the only cricket ground in New Zealand to have Historic Place status. The Basin Reserve is reputedly the place of the first game of rugby in the North Island. [Wikkepedia] 12 Government House

72) Government House is the principal residence of the Governor-General of New Zealand. It was designed by Claude Paton in the office of John Campbell, Government Architect. It was built between 1908 and 1910, and sits on 12 ha of grounds. The main entrance gateway is located in Rugby Street towards the corner of Dufferin Street. The location of the entrance belies the size and impressive characteristics of Government House set on the rise at the end of a long processional drive. Urban interventions into this area need to maintain and enhance the setting of the entrance. [Wikkepedia]

The New Zealand National War Memorial

73) The New Zealand National War Memorial is located next to the New Zealand Dominion Museum building on Buckle Street. It was dedicated in 1932 on Anzac Day in commemoration of the First World War .The War Memorial consists of the War Memorial Carillon, the Hall of Memories, and an unknown New Zealand warrior interred in a tomb constructed in 2004 in front of the Hall of Memories. The War Memorial is visited by approximately 20,000 people a year The National War Memorial Carillon was designed as a sister instrument to the 53 bell Carillon at the Peace Tower in Ottawa, Canada. The Peace Tower in Ottawa is located with the Houses of Parliament in a landscape setting There are no elevated road structures. [Wikkepedia] 74) Protruding into the north-south valley is the knoll on which the National War Memorial sits. In the finest tradition of town and city making, the high point was chosen by the forefathers of Wellington as the location first of a prison and later as the site for the National War Memorial and Museum. Key high points in a city have historically been selected for buildings and / or spaces of civic importance, churches, palaces, temples etc These buildings or spaces act as foci within the city reflecting the values of the society and contributing to the legibility of the city. Its counterpart, the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the Domain is similarly sited on a topographical high point. 75) The knoll is topographically different from the Town Belt. The knoll sits apart from the Town Belt and the land falls away on all sides The importance of this site is reflected not only by its civic role but also by the use of masonry in the construction of the buildings and retaining walls encircling the base, symbolising both importance and permanence 76) The original Wellington Plan envisaged a north - south street from the War Memorial to Wellington Harbour. This would have given the Memorial greater prominence in the city. The proposed street however did not eventuate and the current land ownership patterns preclude this from happening in the future. The War Memorial is therefore reliant on maintaining its role as an important civic focus on the views from the street systems to the east and west and the height differential of the Carillion within the city area. 77) The area in front of the National War Memorial is currently being converted to a Memorial Park. It is planned to extend this park to Cambridge Terrace thus linking the landscape spine of Kent and Cambridge Terrace with the War Memorial. The Wellington 2040 SSP envisaged Memorial Park linking to Cambridge Terrace and Basin Reserve.

13 Home of Compassion Creche [Former]

78) The Home of Compassion Crèche (Former) was constructed in 1914 and is one of New Zealand’s first dedicated child day-care buildings. It is a distinctive brick building that was designed by the architect John Sydney Swan (1874-1936) so that the Sisters of Compassion could continue the pioneering crèche service begun by Mother Suzanne Aubert (1835-1926). The Crèche is currently located on Buckle Street opposite the Basin Reserve. The Crèche is highly significant as a marker of a major social change that began in the early twentieth century and it also has architectural and cultural significance. [Wikipedia]

The Mount Victoria Car Tunnel

79) Wellington has two tunnels through Mount Victoria. There is the one-way bus tunnel at the end of Pirie Street and the two way car tunnel at the end of Patterson Street .The Patterson Street car tunnel was completed in 1931 and was the first road tunnel in New Zealand to be mechanically ventilated. Although not of great heritage significance it provides an extraordinary and memorable entrance to the city.

The Surrounding Precinct

80) The Basin Reserve is the intersection point for the Wellington suburbs of Mount Cook, Newtown and Mount Victoria. 81) Mount Victoria is located on the slopes between the Town Belt and Kent Terrace.The suburb has high conservation value and is renown for the small foot-printed timber houses that cling to the slope. The south side of the Reserve is Newtown and Mount Cook is located on the west . 82) The Basin Reserve is also surrounded by other Wellington landmarks, including St Marks Church School, Wellington College, St Joesph Catholic Church and the Caledonian Hotel

Summary of the Existing Key Elements of the Precinct

83) The proposed grade separated motorway is being inserted into a highly sensitive precinct in Wellington. 84) It has two of New Zealands most significant national places. They are Government House and the National War Memorial including the Carillion and Museum and the future planned extension of the Memorial Park to Cambridge Terrace. 85) It is the confluence of the major north-south spatial spine in Wellington linking Harbour to Harbour through Cambridge and Kent Terraces, The Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road. 86) It also contains: i) The Basin Reserve Roundabout .The largest roundabout in New Zealand and the only one around a cricket oval ii) The Basin Reserve itself, a cricket, social and cultural venue iii) The former Home of Compassion Crèche iv) The Mount Victoria Tunnel and one of the entries to Wellington from the airport v) St Marks Church School and Wellington College 14 vi) St Joesph Catholic Church vii) Caledonian Hotel viii) The suburbs of Mount Victoria, Newtown and Mount Cook 87) It is the focus of numerous views and view shafts to the Reserve and to the Town Belt. All these buildings, spaces and topographical features come together at a major traffic point and all have spatial, historical, cultural and social significance.

WELLINGTON 2040 SPATIAL STRUCTURE PLAN [SSP] +‘ WELLINGTON TOWARDS 2040: SMART CAPITAL’

88) I refer to the Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan [SSP] 2010 in my evidence because this was the document for which I was resposible and it is the document that is the basis of the Wellington vision. The Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan [SSP] became the Wellington 2040 City Strategy. Councillors changed the tile of the Wellington 2040 City Strategy to ‘ Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ when it was adopted by the Council 28 September 2011. 89) The two documents have the similar visions and goals for the city .They differ in that Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan was physically specific and more techinical. ‘ Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ is a strategic Policy Document . It outlines the goals for Wellington as People-centred City ; Connected ; Eco-city and Dynamic Central City and stresses the walkability, the topography; the street system particularly strengthening the north-south streets. It takes the recommendations in the SSP and converts them to vision and policy 90) Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan [SSP] is of significance for two key reasons . Firstly it was the result of an extensive and effective consultation process with the Wellington community under the direction of Gerald Blunt the previous Manager of Urban Design in WCC and secondly it adopted the philosophical position that future interventions were to repair and enhance the existing structure of Wellington. The design work was based on the principle that “Space is the key organizing element of urban morphology ” [The City as a Dwelling Space. Bernard Huet .[Article Attached] and that cities are not simply about the deployment of individual objects. The spaces between the buildings / structures are as important or more important than the buildings / structures themselves. Guided by the New Zealand Urban Design Protocol and using the context, culture and history of the city, the Wellington 2040 SSP used space as the fundamental structuring element of the city. 91) The Wellington 2040 SSP was designed to i) Establish a blueprint for the physical outcome for the city. ii) Consider the spatial structure as the primary organising element of the city iii) Establish the desired future character of the place. This involved identifying street and intersection hierarchies; building heights; “build to” lines; open space linkages and hierarchies; pedestrian connections. iv) Provide objectives and principles to ensure that future projects are designed as urban interventions within the desired overall spatial structure framework. The objectives and principles for the desired future character varied with the precinct and / or site . In some precincts urban interventions the desired future character was quite specific, in others more flexible. v) Provide the basis for standards and guidelines in the District Plan 15 92) Wellington 2040 SSP was specifically titled and the work undertaken in order to mend the spatial structure of the city and to provide coordinated direction for future development. The SSP points out that the spatial structure of Wellington has become less clear … “much of this is the result of the prioritization of traffic over pedestrians for loss of visual and physical amenity;….” The SSP recommends “clarification over alteration and supports the concept of integrated traffic and people movement”. [also supported by see Gehl’s analysis 2004] [Wellington 2040 SSP Sec 03] 93) My evidence here is elaborating on the role of space , the spatial structure and the relationship of space to buildings and the land form .I raise this because both the New Zealand and Australian planning systems, unlike the continental European systems, focus on the city as site by site projects rather than the city as a whole. As a consequence of that approach the focus is on individual buildings rather than the organization of space. To create attractive workable urban places however requires a strategic approach that uses space as the connector.

Understanding Urban Areas

94) The reason for the importance of space relates to how people see.People see in straight lines with a view cone of about 70 degrees and at a height from 1 metre to 1.8 metres above ground. They experience the city predominately through the street and the open space system .These two factors are fundamental in understanding how cities need to be designed to optimise their amenity and quality. 95) The key components of an urban area are : i) The Land ii) Space: The Spatial Structure iii) The Built Form The Land 96) The Land is the topography, the water courses, vegetation and geology, the base on which the urban area sits. 97) It is different in every city and at every place in the city. Revealing the land is the key to establishing identity , legibility and variety. Space: The Spatial Structure 98) The spatial structure of an urban area is the system that organises the urban area. It is “the glue” of the city. It is made up of a three dimensional web of public and private space . The spatial structure is the long term framework of the city, the buildings are the short time framework. If the spatial structure of an uban area fails then it is usually not possible to rectify because of land ownership or cost . It is only possible to improve it by good public domain design and / or ‘good’ architecture. If conversly a good spatial structure has poor architecture and a poor public domain it can be rectified. 99) The spatial structure of an urban area is the key to providing identity, legibility, variety, connectivity, accessibility and walkability and it is closely linked to economic performance. 100) The public spatial structure consists of the street system and the open space, parks squares etc. Streets make up approximately 80% and the other 20 % consists of the parks, plazas and natural areas. The pattern of the street system; its dimensions and how it is arranged over the landform creates the ground plane of the spatial structure. In the vertical plane the spatial structure is created

16 by the arrangement and design of the buildings. The “roof plane” is created by the height of buildings or the implied height of the buildings.

The Built Form

101) The built form consists of the buildings and other major structures which are located on the land. There are two basic models for organizing buildings in an urban area. Buildings and structures can be organized to define a clearly readable system of space such as in an urban street. Definition of space by buildings creates “positive space” With this model the negative impacts of buildings are minimized and the space related to people is enhanced . In other words people come first. Most of Wellington streets fall into this category. The other model is by organizing buildings or structures as “objects” within space so that the space is “left over”. With this model the negative impacts of buildings are mazimized and the space related to people is marginalized. 102) The degree and type of definition of the spatial structure relative to the land is the most important role of the built form and it is this relationship which is determined in a Spatial Structure Plan.

The Design Process

103) To ensure that the spatial structure optimises the potential and quality of an urban area, a design process has to be under taken. This process consciously “designs” space into the spatial structure and uses street patterns , building envelopes and / or “build to” lines to shape the space.These are the three distinct but interrelated design outcomes of this design process i) The Spatial Structure Plan ii) The Design of the Public Domain. iii) Guidelines for the Architecture. 104) The Design of the Public Domain covers the comprehensive design of the public areas of the city and include water, paving, lighting, street furniture and vegetation etc. 105) Guidelines for the Architecture cover issues such as the interface of a building to the street; internal amenity of light and air; provision of private open space etc. 106) The key characteristics of a good spatial structure plan and the issues that the Wellington 2040 SSP attempted to address were to: i) Enhance all the valuable physical, cultural and social characteristics of Wellington ie the street pattern; view shafts; view sheds; diversity ii) Rectify where possible the bad characteristics ie traffic dominated streets iii) Maintain the connected and integrated street pattern over a large area maximizing movement and economic activities. iv) Maintain and reinforce the streets and open spaces that reveal the topography v) Maintain the hierarchy of streets, intersections and places related to landform, history and key civic places vi) Retain and enhance the view shafts vii) Support the existing and proposed uses viii) Optimize the accessibility to community facilities; schools; shops and transport ix) Minimize the impact of buildings by organizing them to define a spatial system 17 x) Use all land well xi) Reinforce the street pattern and have appropriate set backs relative to building height, heritage and street width xii) Locate buildings to address the street and create ‘eyes on the street’ 107) A poor spatial structure usually the result of ad hoc development and a non connected street pattern will have the opposite of some or all of the above characteristics.

WELLINGTON SPACE SYNTAX REPORT 2011”CITY CENTRE MOVEMENT INFRASTRUCTURE ANALYSIS”

108) The Space Syntax study of Wellington was undertaken at the same time as the Wellington 2040 SSP. This parallel piece of work was to inform the desired future character and to ensure that the accessibility of the city was maintained and enhanced. It provided a method of checking that the decisions made in the SSP were not simply design based or traffic based but that the proposed outcomes looked at the wider economic potential and amenity of the city. 109) The Space Syntax model does not support one-way traffic streets or grade separated roads in urban areas. “While the hierarchy of one-way arterial streets improves transport efficiency they can also lengthen journey times, increase speed and reduce route choice potential for easy access to retail and commercial centres. International findings indicate that economic performance of urban land uses is diminished by transport options that are inappropriately located. 110) Space Syntax suggests that changes to the accessibility patterns in city centres should have objective evidence of the economic impact on land uses and pedestrian movement during due diligence assessment. The task would be to determine prudential investment surety between transport efficiency and urban productivity goals. The measurable understanding of how cities perform economically would enable decision makers to improve Wellington gross domestic product, stimulate business development and grow employment opportunities.” [Comment on Wellington Study 2011 Space Syntax Martin Butterworth] 111) While still not necessarily performing as effectively as ultimately possible using the Space Syntax methodology, at grade streets as traffic distributors have the benefit that they are less costly to implement, have far less detrimental effects on the surrounding area and the cities commerce / retail economy and they have much greater flexibility over time .To this end the impact of the Basin Bridge Proposal on the city wide economics and social cohesion should be tested.

INTERNATIONAL BEST PRACTICE

Freeway [Motorway] Removal

112) Current international best urban design practice supports freeway systems between cities and towns but not in tcities and towns.The last 20 years has seen the removal of many freeways within cities. Examples such as: Harbour Drive Portland Oregon; Manhattan's West Side Highway, an elevated freeway along the Hudson River, collapsed and was closed in 1973. When it was closed, 53

18 percent of the traffic that had used this freeway simply disappeared. It was never replaced. Cheonggyecheon in Seoul; the Pompidou Expressway Paris; Boston and Madrid. City of Sydney has been investigating the removal of the Western Distributor built in the early 1990s. The removal of freeways started in the 1970s and was precipitated by Jane Jacobs [ Death and Life of Great American Cities.Jane Jacobs 1961] The reason for their removal is the result of their detrimental effect on the precincts in which they are located and the overall disruption to the continuity of urban areas. 113) Freeways can be grade separated above or below ground or at grade. The key problem with all freeways is they sever one part of a city from another [often formerly] contiquous part of a city. With elevated freeways, there are two additional issues . The undercroft of an elevated freeway particularly if it is close to the ground as it is in this case, becomes a “no-mans land” or “Drosscape” [Drosscape: Wasting Land in Urban America Alan Berger] Above grade freeways are also “always there” This may sound self evident but freeways are introduced partly to deal with peak traffic conditions.This may be 3-4 hours a day. So even when there is no traffic or light traffic for the remaining 20 hours a day, the large structure that is the freeway still exists as a dominant part of the urban fabric . If the traffic is accommodated on streets at grade there is just a relatively empty street. 114) The severance resulting from an above grade freeway has implications for the community in terms of loss of social cohesion; dominance of cars over walking, cycling and public transport ; fragmentation of the urban fabric and the wastage of land [a valuable limited resource] . Additional impacts are the visual dominance of the structures in the urban landscape and the negative impact on both the economic vitality of a place and property values. 115) Because the traffic dominated streets in Wellington are predominately at grade eg Vivian Street, the potential to calm these streets and re-integrate them with the city is there. In respect of having a limited number of motorways currently Wellington aligns itself with current international best practice.

Integration not Segregation

116) The Shared Space movement was started in Holland by Hans Monderman but its methods have been used extensively in Europe and the UK. The approach of this movement is to think about urban streets in the traditional way. Streets are about shared space and commerce . Shared Space rejects segregation, arguing it reduces drivers’ perception of accident risk. Motorists encounter uniform, predictable, highly-regulated streets and drive accordingly: faster and less cautiously or considerately. 117) This is known as the ‘risk compensation effect’—people modify their behaviour based on their perception of risk. If streets look like highways, people drive as if on a highway. Towns are not highways. To adapt driver behaviour, Shared Space pioneers introduced risk. They removed road markings, guard rails, traffic signals, formal crossings and kerbs, deliberately blurring boundaries between sidewalk and road. Benches, lamps and trees added to the effect. The fundamental principle was to replace segregation with integration. 118) Bohmte in Germany scrapped all traffic lights, road signs and pedestrian crossings while levelling the sidewalk and road. The Dutch town of Drachten turned the Laweplein intersection into a square with a roundabout—a ‘squareabout’— with no signs or bicycle lanes. A study of seven European projects from 2004 to 2008 supported by the European Interreg IIIB North Sea Programme concluded 19 that “ There are fewer accidents and unexpectedly, the study also found that despite slower speeds traffic delays reduced by up to 50 percent at the Laweiplein, which deals with 22,000 vehicles a day”. [Wikipedia ] 119) While I accept that this methodology has not been used in New Zealand other than in minor streets, it is a growing methodology in many cities. The possibility however of introducing this approach in the Basin Reserve Roundabout and other city streets may be a longer term strategy given the physical characteristics of Wellington. Obviously such an approach needs to be part of the overall management of traffic in the city. The issue is that if an above grade separated solution is introduced the only way of rectifying it is by demolition This is an expensive and difficult process. The benefit of an at grade solution is that it can be easily retrofitted with various degrees of integration to suit a particular place.

THE ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH THE BASIN BRIDGE PROPOSAL

120) This section of my evidence outlines the many and varied issues associated with the Basin Bridge Proposal. The number and extent of the mitigating measures indicate that the project brings with it an extensive number of impacts.

Issue 1| Dominance of the Basin Bridge Motorway in Wellington

121) The Basin Bridge Proposal and the mitigating structures will be overly dominant structural elements in the Wellington. 122) This is because : i) The motorway is a large concrete structure approximately 265 metres long and 14 metres wide ii) It takes up a substantial amount of land additional to that currently in road reserve. iii) It spans from Patterson Street to the Buckle Street Underpass iv) It is supported on seven large concrete piers v) It is constructed relatively close to the ground vi) It has a different geometry to the existing orthogonal grid of streets in which it is located .The different geometries are resolved in the north-east quadrant vii) It is located in a very confined topography at one of the cities main entries viii) It is impacts on view lines of important civic and historic buildings and places ix) It dismantles the spatial structure of the area x) It requires mitigating measures that further confuse the legibility of the area, particularly the Gateway Building on the north side of the Basin Reserve 123) Wellington is a relatively small city and the Basin Bridge Proposal has major impacts on a crital precinct in the city and on key spatial relationships in the city . Wellington cannot afford to have a vital junction within the city destroyed by inappropriate infrstructure. In a larger city the loss of some parts of the city may be able to be absorped but in a small city there comes a tipping point where one detrimental project fundamentally changes the city. 124) The motorway and the mitigating structures and planting will be highly visible and are dominant structural elements within the city of Wellington and within the Basin Reserve. Screening by planting 20 and buildings will not lessen its impact. The Basin Bridge Proposal fundamentally changes this part of Wellington 125) “What is represents is as important as what it is “ [ Steve Jobs Movie Jobs ]

Issue 2 | Loss of the Wellington City Memorable Entry

126) The Basin Bridge Proposal negatively impacts the quality of one of the most memorable entries into Wellington from the airport through the Mount Victoria Tunnel .This particulary impressive entry will lose much of its impact by the introduction of the motorway. The initial views from the tunnel will be maintained but those over the city to the north will be interrupted by the motorway and lost very quickly when the motorway moves to the north west. 127) In the journey east towards the Airport from the city the view up Patterson Street to the Mount Victoria Tunnel will be lost because Patterson Road has to pass under the curving motorway . Currently this is a clear view that provides a sense of leaving the city and entering the Mount Victoria Tunnel. 128) The qualities and drama of the entrance to Wellington is lost by: i) Removing the ability to experience the spatial progression and spatial definition from the confines of the Tunnel along Patterson Street , down the side of Mount Victoria , around the Basin and on to Buckle Street or Kent and Cambridge Terrace ii) Destroying the sequence of views from the tunnel exit to the Carillion and over the city along Patterson Street , around the Basin and onto Buckle Street or Kent and Cambridge Terrace iii) Introducing views of the motorway and the requirement to pass under it in the journey east 129) The entry to Wellington from the Airport and via the Mount VictoriaTunnel is memorable and should be retained

Issue 3 | Degradation of the Precinct

130) Sites around the precinct have been left empty and buildings demolished. The Basin Reserve itself requires maintenance. This general degradation of the area suggests that the proposed roading intervention will not be detrimental to the precinct and to the city. This current state belies the quality of the spatial structure of Wellington and particulay this precinct and the potential to repair it.

Issue 4 | View loss + Dismantling of Spatial Structure

131) Views and view shafts in urban areas are not about aesthetics. They structure the city, have the capacity to reveal the topography and so provide legibility and identity. They are fundamental to the way people understand and negotiate urban areas. They have the capacity to highlight and give value to important places and buildings. Alternatively when views to places of importance are lost or deformed the value of those important places is degraded. This is why in traditional city making important places have been located on the high points in the topography and / or at the end of streets. Conversely streets have been laid out to focus on existing important buildings and places e.g In Wellington the Harbour and the Town Belt.

21 132) View shafts and view sheds are impacted negatively to different degrees by urban interventions .The impact will depend on i) Whether the distance to the view is long or short [Short distance greater impact] ii) Whether the street leading to the view is a more important or less important street. iii) Whether the topography is flat or sloping iv) The importance of the object or space that is the focus of the view v) Whether it is part of a sequence of views that provide an understanding of the land and history vi) What are the characteristics of the element that is blocking the view. In this proposal the view into the north – east quadrant and the curvilinear section of the road structure has a much greater negative impact than the view blocked by the straight section of roadway. 133) The Basin Bridge Proposal has extensive and varied impacts on view shafts and view sheds. All the views nominated in the context section of ths evidence are lost by the introduction of an elevated and partly curvilinear motorway structure. Critical are the views along Kent and Cambridge Terraces; from Patterson Street to the Basin and the War Memorial ; from Buckle Street up Ellice Street to the Town Belt; down Ellice Street to Kent and Cambridge Terrace the Memorial Park Extension, and along Dufferin Street to and from Government House. The view south to Government House will be visible from about half way along Dufferin Street .The view from Hania Street to the Basin Reserve is lost but is less important. 134) In some cases views to the skyline may be retained but the actual continuous space that focuses on a particular element or space is terminated by the motorway structure. This occurs in the view east up Ellice Street from Buckle Street and the Memorial Park extension .The Patterson Street and Ellice Street views are part of a suite of views that run east-west to the Town Belt from the valley 135) All the views terminating in the curved section of motorway are particularly problematic. The view north in Dufferin Street looks straight into the motorway is at a maximum viewing distance from Rugby Street of between 130 - 200 metres. The view west down Ellice Street is terminated by the motorway . The loss of view down Patterson street is about blockage of the expansive view over the city as the motorway curves to the north. This removes the ability to understand the land, the space of the Basin Reserve Roundabout and the relationship of the Basin Reserve to the Carillion and Kent and Cambridge Terrace. 136) Views shafts and view sheds are particularly important in Wellington.They structure the city and reveal the dramatic topographical setting. They relate to the historic placement of important civic buildings and spaces .They should be retained.

Issue 5 | Severance of the North of Wellington City from the South

137) The Basin Bridge Proposal spatially severs the southern areas of the city incuding Government House, the National War Memorial, the Basin Reserve, Newtown and Mount Cook from Wellington CBD and Mount Victoria in the north. 138) It does this by: i) Removing the Roundabout as the organizing element and reorienting the flow of movement ii) Locating a substantial elevated motorway structure from Patterson Street to the Buckle Street Underpass in an east-west configuration thereby negating the north-south spine 22 iii) Blocking the flow of space from Kent and CambridgeTerrace , the Roundabout and Adelaide Road iv) Locating substantial landscaping and planting to “ hide” the motorway v) Locating the motorway very close to the ground even at its highest point [Approximately 8 metres] vi) Accomodating the change of direction between the motorway requirements and the different angles and alignment to the streets at the north-east corner vii) Introducing the Northern Gateway Building as a mitigating measure between the motorway and the cricket crease. It is sited east -west severing Kent and Cambridge from the Basin Reserve Roundabout viii) Locating a number of supporting piers of differing angle, type and profile under the motorway and the Gateway Building 139) The proposed Gateway Building has an open undercroft approximately 10 metres deep with a height approximately 5 metres above the ground. The undercroft of the motorway is 14 metres deep and the height above the ground is approximately 8 metres. [These dimensions are based on scaling the drawings ] Between the motorway and the Gateway Building there is an irregular space . There are numerous trees planted to “hide” the motorway.There are piers supporting both the motorway and the Gateway Building. As construction dictates, the piers are at differing angles and they have different sections and plan from each other. The Gateway Building curves in plan to relate to the oval . The motorway is on a straight alignment. The two structures are at different heights, have different profiles and use different materials. The space between the Gateway Building and the Motorway has no defintion and no containment. 140) The motorway, gateway building, planting and their related reorganization of space: 141) Bisect the north-south spine through Wellington from Wellington Harbour to Cook Strait 142) Negate the opportunity to reinforce Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road as the main north-south spatial connection up the valley 143) Block the views and limit visibility into the Basin Reserve from the north along Kent and Cambridge Terace. 144) Block the views and limit visibility from the Basin Reserve to the north along Kent and Cambridge Terace 145) Create the large area of unused land on thenorth east quadrant 146) Compromise legibility and wayfinding by the lack of clarity of spaces 147) The Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road is the main north-south spatial connection through the city along the valley. It should be retained. FIG 1+ 2

Issue 6 | Removes potential to reinforce of North-South Spine

148) The Basin Bridge Proposal removes the ability to reinforce the north-south spine of Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road as the main north-south spatial connection through the city along the valley.

23 149) It does this by : i) Removing the Roundabout as the organizing element and reorienting the flow of movement ii) Blocking the flow of space from Kent and CambridgeTerrace , the Roundabout and Adelaide Road iii) Creating excessive “left over” space in the north-east quadrant where iv) Removing the potential for a key corner building at the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street v) Introducing the Northern Gateway Building as a mitigating measure between the motorway and the cricket crease. 150) Kent and Cambridge Terrace , the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road should be defined by buildings as the primary north- south organizing spine of Wellington linking harbour to harbour . FIG 3 Wellinton 2040 SSP

Issue 7 | Dismantles the Basin Reserve as a Roundabout

151) The Basin Bridge Proposal dismantles the open space structure of the Basin Reserve Roundabout so that this historic and unique roundabout is no longer a legible piece of infrastructure.This negates its spatial and historical value as a key spatial organizing element of the city 152) It does this by : i) Spatially severing the southern areas of the city incuding Government House, the National War Memorial, the Basin Reserve, Newtown and Mount Cook from Wellington CBD and Mount Victoria in the north with an elevated east-west motorway structure . ii) Blocking the flow of open space from Adelaide Road through the Basin Reserve and along Kent and Cambridge Terace to the Harbour.The space is blocked by the motorway construction and the proposed Northern Gateway Building iii) Introducting an alternate traffic movement system that is opposed spatially to the primary movement system of the roundabout. iv) Failing [inevitably and understandably] to relate the geometry of the new motorway structure with the opposing geometry of the existing orthogonal street grid. v) Creating an excessive amount of left over land and space in plan and section around the motorway vi) Destroying the views to the Basin Reserve from Kent and CambridgeTerrace. vii) Removing the potential to define the space of the Basin Reserve and to integrate it with Kent and Cambridge Terrace on the north and Adelaide Road on the south with a strong built edge and related planting . 153) The Basin Reserve Roundabout is the key spatial organizing element of the city that organizes traffic and people in a north-south and east-west direction and it should be retained in that role.

24 Issue 8 | Removes the potential to reinforce the Outer Edge of Basin Reserve

154) The Basin Bridge Proposal destroys the potential to reinforce the spatial definition of the outer edge of the Basin Reseve as defined by Buckle and Ellice Streets , Dufferin , Rugby and Sussex Streets. 155) It does this by : i) Creating a wasteland of left over land and poorly defined space related to the redirection of movement of vehicles in the north east quadrant This area provides the space for the curvature of the flyover. Because the outer edge of the fomerly rectilinear space no longer has a clear boundary there is no potential to define it with buildings and to create a strong readable built edge. 156) This lack of definition: i) Reduces the importance of the Reserve as a sporting, cultural and social space within Wellington ii) Removes the opportunity of reinforcing the space of the Roundabout as the historic traffic circle iii) Negates the potential of enhancing the contrast in the spatial hierarchy between Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve and Adelaide Road and defining them as a clear three dimensional connected series of spaces iv) Reduces the ability to define the space of the Basin Reserve inside boundary with planting , fencing , buildings etc as a contrasting circle within the outside rectangle of the Roundabout. 157) The Basin Reserve Roundabout should be defined by buildings as the strong outer edge of the Basin FIG 4.

Issue 9 | Removes the potential to reinforce the inner Edge of Basin Reserve

158) The Basin Bridge Proposal destroys the potential to reinforce the spatial definition of the inner edge of the Basin Reseve 159) It does this by: i) Minimizing the space around the Reserve Basin on the northern side between the motorway and the Gateway Building ii) Creating a wasteland of left over land and poorly defined space in the north east quadrant thereby weakening the north- east corner.This is the corner where the road alignment is already less defined and not the same as the other three corners. iii) Locating the Gateway Building on the northern axis iv) Maintaining the current road alignment in Sussex Street and Rugby Street on the south west corner so that the verge is compromised v) Relocating the historic entrance gates 160) The Basin Reserve should be defined by buildings and planting as the strong inner edge of the Basin FIG 5

25 Issue 10 | Destroys the Internal Organization of the Basin Reserve

161) The Basin Bridge Proposal destroys the internal spatial organization of the Basin Reserve. 162) The proposed Northern Gateway Building is located at the end of Kent and Cambridge Terrace. This building is designed to block out the impact of the movement on the motorway from the line of sight of the batting crease. The proposed building is sited primarily as a foil for the motorway. It’s siting does relate to viewing cricket [quite valid] but the introduction of a building here undermines the internal organization of the cricket ground. 163) The current internal organization of the Basin Reserve is symetrically arranged with a built side related to the slope on the west and the National War Memorial behind . The eastern side is a banked green landscaped.There is an actual and implied spatial division between the two. The Dempster entrance gate on the north and the Reid entrance gate on the south reflect this division. Similarly the William Wakefield Memorial at the end of Patterson Street on the east relates to the Historic Pavillion on the west setting up the symetry. 164) It does this by : i) Locating the proposed Gateway Building in the area that is part of the spatial connection from the north to the south ii) Negating the relationship of the buildings and space around the Basin iii) Locating a screen above the Players Pavillion thereby closing the “gap” intentionally left to assist in setting up a logical relationship between one building to another 165) The internal organization of the Basin Reserve should be retained and reinforced Basin FIG 6

Issue 11 | Degrades the importance of Government House

166) The Basin Bridge Proposal degrades the importance of Government House. 167) It does this by : i) Spatially severing the southern areas of the city incuding Government House, the National War Memorial, the Basin Reserve, Newtown and Mount Cook from Wellington CBD and Mount Victoria in the north with an elevated east-west structure . ii) Presenting a direct view of the curvilinear elevated motorway in the north eastern quadrant from the gates at Government House iii) Degrading the journey from Kent and Cambridge Terrace and the Basin Reserve to the gates of Government House. The journey from Parliament House and the CBD involves passing under the motorway and around the curving elevated motorway before reaching Dufferin Street and approaching the entry gates of Government House . iv) Negating the opportunity to define the outer edge of Basin Reserve Roundabout with a built edge thereby providing the opportunity to give the entrance gates to Government House greater prominence as a point of contrast with the larger scaled built edge. 168) Government House is of national significance. It must be included spatially in the city and all possible measures undertaken to enhance the entry and the journey to it

26 Issue 12 | Degrades the importance of The National War Memorial

169) The Basin Bridge Proposal reduces the visual dominance and historic role of the National War Memorial 170) It does this by : i) Spatially severing the southern areas of the city incuding Government House, the National War Memorial, the Basin Reserve, Newtown and Mount Cook from Wellington CBD and Mount Victoria in the north with an elevated east-west structure . ii) Blocking the view of the Carillion from the southern end of Kent and Cambridge Terrace and from the lower levels of Ellice Street by the flyover. iii) Limiting the view of the Carillon from Patterson Street by redirecting the line of sight for motorway uses away from the Carillion and to the north. iv) Reducing the height differential between the ground level of Basin Reserve and the Carillion. The fmotorway is approximately 9 metres above ground. This reduction in the height differential lessens the visual impact of the Carillion in the local vicinity. v) Introducing an above grade motorway immediately to the eastern side of the War Memorial. This is totally counter productive to the below grade cut and cover motorway of the Buckle Street Underpass immediately in front of the Memorial. [currently under construction] The proposed above grade motorway negates to a large extent any value gained by locating the motorway under the ground in front of the Memorial. The motorway is located underground so that it is not dominant. Why then would an above grade motorway be located beside it in an area that also has a direct impact on the Memorial. There may have been a valid argument for this approach had the motorway been on a direct alignment with the existing grid street pattern and had the land form had a consistent topographical profile on either side but this is not the context. 171) The National War Memorial is of national significance and the Carillon is a visually dominant element in Wellington . It must be included spatially in the city and its visual dominance enhanced FIG 7

Issue 13 | Locates part of the Memorial Park extension under the motorway

172) The Basin Bridge Proposal creates a poor interface at the south- east end of the proposed Memorial Park extension at the junction with CambridgeTerrace 173) It does this by : i) Allowing access under the flyover when it is close to the ground . At approximately 2.4 metres from the underside of the flyover to the ground This is at best, head height clearance for a residential room. It is not commensurate with an important public space ii) The inability to resolve the angle difference between the motorway alignment and the curve of the entrance of the Roundabout road as it joins Cambridge Terrace 174) This relationship: i) Diminishes the value of the newly created Memorial Park by locating part of the park under the motorway. ii) Creates an unpleasant possibly unsafe space under the motorway. 27 iii) Weakens the relationship between Cambridge Terrace and the Memorial Park extension by creating an ill defined end to Cambridge Terrace where the space of the street merges with the space under the motorway. iv) Makes the motorway the view focus in the journey from the roundabout to Cambridge Terrace in a northerly direction 175) The extension of the Memorial Park should not terminate in the underside of a motorway but should have a strong interface with Kent Terrace so that there is a clear sequence of spaces from Kent and Cambridge Terrace through Memorial Park extension to the Nation al War Memorial

Issue 14 | Creates “left over” Land and Space

176) The Basin Bridge Proposal creates a significant amount of unuseable land and related left-over space on the north east quadrant of the Basin Reserve where the motorway changes direction to meet Patterson Street. The additional land area dedicated to road space above the present land take is approximately 11,000 square metres This is equivalent to the area of two city blocks. For example the area bounded by Featherstone, Custom House Quay, Hunter and Panama Streets. Additional land is also taken on the north-west side of Cambridge Terrace. This is part of the proposed extension to Memorial Park 177) This land is required: To move traffic from the Patterson Street alignment to the Buckle Street alignment in accordance with the travel requirements of a motorway i) To create a suitable landing place for the pedestrian / cycle path ii) To create a suitable landing place for the motorway to join the Buckle Street Underpass 178) An excess of undefined land and space in an urban context has the following impacts : i) The buildings and / or structures will apprear as objects in the space and will therefore be more visually dominant than if they were buildings and / or structures defining space ii) The emphasis of what is important and what is not important in a precinct is skewed by the spactial organization of that precinct iii) The structures and / or buildings are emphasised rather than the people or the land iv) Useful urban land is wasted v) The urban fabric is fragmented and lacks continuity vi) Legibility and way finding are compromised 179) In this case the increase in “left over” land and space associated with motorway infrastructure: i) Create an imbalance of space around the Basin. ii) Dominate the Basin Reserve setting. [The additional space is approximately 20% of the space of the Reserve ] iii) Emphasise the motorway structure rather than the Reserve , the Roundabout , the War Memorial and the streets. iv) Drawf the entry to Government House because the excess space is at the northern end of Dufferin Street directly opposite the entry to Government House. The outlook from the modest entry to Government House is directly to this large leftover land and the curved and elevated section of the motorway

28 v) Render approximately11,000 square metres site area of potentially developable land unsuitable for development . 180) The urban land around the Basin should be organized to enhance the Reserve ; improve legibility; create variety; strengthen identity , provide connectivity and optimize development potential.

Issue 15 | Relocates the former Home of Compassion Creche

181) The Basin Bridge Proposal requires the removal and relocation of the former Home of Compassion Creche from its current site. 182) The Home of Compassion Creche has already been moved once but as a building with physical, cultural and social value the Creche should remain in its current location . The location is part of the historic value in terms of the city context .

Issue 16 | Creates a poor undercroft area under the motrway

183) The Basin Bridge Proposal creates a poor undercroft area in the north-east quadrant and the north east quadrant . 184) It does this by : i) Allowing access under the motorway when it is close to the ground . At approximately 2.4 metres from the underside of the motorway to the ground, this is at best, head height clearance for a residential room. It is not commensurate with a public underpass. ii) The inability to resolve the two opposing geometries of the street grid, the motorway and the pedestrian , cycle ramp. iii) Locating a separate smaller flyover / ramp and landing for the pedestrians and bicyles 185) This relationship:. i) Creates an unpleasant, possibly unsafe space, under the flyover ii) Destroys the relationship between Kent Terrace and Ellice Street 186) The adverse impacts of the underside of low flyovers is one of the by products of elevated motorways

Issue 17 | Fragments the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street

187) A new building is proposed at the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street This is introduced as a mitiagting measure because the motorway extends over this site. The lack of a corner building here weakens the corner condition of this main intersection at the southern end of Kent Terrace . 188) The Basin Bridge Proposal: i) Extends the motorway over this site ii) Creates a corner condition that does not readily enable a convential corner building to be located here. iii) Locates a supporting pier on the site 189) A new building proposed at the corner of Kent Terrace and Ellice Street : i) Recognises the importance of creating a better termination for Kent Terrace and the junction of Ellice Street

29 ii) Is compromised by the pier on the site and the geometry and height of the motorway at this location iii) Has different and more complex site conditions than the precedents nominated in Technical Report 3

Issue 18 | The Green Screen

190) The Green Screen is introduced as a mitiagting measure. This is located on the roof of the Kent Terrace and Ellice Street corner building. This is designed to block the noise ? [not clear] and screen the motorway from the residential Grandstand Apartments in Kent Terrace. The screen is located about 3-4 metres from the apartment windows. 191) The green screen: i) Takes away district views over the Basin Reserve, to the Carillion and Town Belt from the Grandstand Apartments and replaces them with a green wall ii) Raises issues about how green walls / screens can be maintained. They can be difficult to maintain particularly near motorways. [Sydney Eastern Distributor All green screens have been abandoned]

Issue 19 | Uses Landscaping as a mitigating measure.

192) Comprehensive landscaping including water treatment are envisaged. Some of the planting is to mitigate the impacts of the motorway. Planting in urban areas has many roles, scaling, screening, water management etc Large scale planting will inevitably affect the spatial structure e g an avenue of trees. 193) In this case: i) The motorway is a very visually dominant structure ii) Will not be able to be screened by trees. iii) From experience planting around and under motorways does not perform well. iv) Because the landscaping is organized to screen and not to structure, it may reduce the legibility and make the area appear even more congested.

Issue 20 | Negatively Impacts on Properties in the Precinct

194) The Basin Bridge Proposal negatively impacts on properties in the north-east quadrant . 195) The Motorway physically passes over the Regional Wines and Spirits site in16 Ellice Street. 196) It: i) Destroys the ability of Ellice Street to provide a street address ii) Negates any presence and street address the building has iii) Creates an undercroft area over and around the Regional Wines and Spirits building / site iv) Limits any capacity for development v) Has noise implications 197) The Motorway passes directly in front of St Josephs Church . It:

30 i) Negates any presence and street address the church has Creates an undercroft area around the church ii) Limits any capacity for development iii) Has noise implications 198) The Motorway commences rising from Patterson Street opposite the entrance to the entrance to Wellington Colege. It: i) Renders the entrance less imposing. ii) Provides views into the motorway from the entrance 199) The knot of the Motorway and pedrestrian ramp at the end of Ellice Street affects numerous residential properties. It: i) Removes all views down Ellice Street from the street and from the residentail properties ii) Provides views down onto the motorway from many properties higher up this southern end of Mount Victoria. Impacts Negatively property values iii) Has noise and light impacts 200) Quality of life and amenity is compromised in parts of Mount Victoria by the proximity of the motorway in the north-east quadrant

Issue 21 | Is contrary to Wellington 2040 SSP and Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital and the Space Syntax “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011.

201) The Basin Bridge Proposal introduces an out of character traffic management intervention that is opposed to the long held vision of Wellington as a compact, walkable city and as defined in the Wellington 2040 SSP and Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital and the Space Syntax “City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011. Segregated roading infrastructure is predominately used in cities that are not compact and urban. The most notable example being Los Angeles. Currently motoways in Wellington are limited to outer edge areas, port and industrial areas. Even in these situations however, on the western end of the city they have unsightly undercroft areas and do not create an environment that is commenserate with the importance of the Basin Reserve Precinct. 202) The grade separated motorway is contrary to: i) Successive visions and actions by WCC of Wellington as a mixed use, public transport oriented, compact city ii) The Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ encourage greater emphasis on pedestrians and a reduction in the dominance of traffic iii) The value of streets as an integrated movement system with multiple choice of route and economic potential [The Space Syntax Report 2011”City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis”] 203) The departure from the expressed vision of Wellington City at a senstive interface in the city: i) Undermines the values, culture , image and perceptions of Wellington ii) Seriously brings into question the role of ‘Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ and the Space Syntax”City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011 204) ‘Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ and the Space Syntax ”City Centre Movement Infrastructure Analysis” 2011 should inform all major infrastructure interventions

31 Issue 22 | Is not in line with International Best Practice

205) The Basin Bridge Proposal is not in line with International best practice.The change of attitude to movement systems in cities is the result of : i) The negative impacts freeways have on urban areas particularly above ground flyovers ii) The success that has been had with safety and journey times when people and cars are integrated iii) The loss of ecconomic potential when cities are separated into isolated pods by the way the traffic is organized. 206) International best practice should be a consideration when an infrastrcture intervention is located in a precinct that clearly has so many negative impacts on key national and city spaces and buildings. Is there another way

ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL RICHARD REID

207) I have reviewed the alternative proposal for the Basin Reserve by Richard Reid. 208) This proposal re-organizes traffic at grade along Kent and Cambridge Terrace and around the Roundabout. 209) All view shafts and view sheds and retained and enhanced by buildings and / or planting. The drama of the memorable entrance to the city is retained and the exit from the city to the airport unchanged 210) Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Basin Reserve Roundabout and Adelaide Road are retained as the main north- south spatial structuring element between the harbours. The potential to create a strong built edge along Kent and Cambridge Terrace, The Basin Roundabout and the Adelaide Road is retained through the considered alignment of the street edges. 211) The open space structure of the Roundabout is reinforced by its continued use as a roundabout and the proposed built edge defines the spatial structure so that it is a legible piece of infrastructure that links north-south and east-west. The roundabout unites rather divides the city. The strong built edge defines the Basin Reserve thereby enhancing its heritage and cultural role .The proposal has no negative impacts on the operation of the Basin as a cricket venue and the internal organization is preserved . 212) The Crèche is retained in its existing location. The bus drop off at St Marks School is reorganised to assist the school and improve the visibility of Government House. The potential for a strong built edge around the Basin Roundabout enables the gates of Government House to become a point of difference and hence will have more presence. 213) The visual dominance of the National War Memorial is refined because the Carillion is the focus of the view shafts and the existing the topographical differences with the Carillion Site are not impacted. Memorial Park extension meets Cambridge Terrace with a direct clear interface, 214) Overall the at grade solution is complementary with, rather than counter productive to, the Buckle street underpass. 215) The additional land take is very low. The only site affected is the corner of Rugby Street and Adelaide Road where the alignment is slightly changed. All other sites and any currently undeveloped land can be developed so that the urban fabric is repaired. 32 216) There are obviously no requirements for mitigating measures There no issues related to poor sight lines or impacts on adjacent properties The north-south and east west pedestrian movement is legible, logical and provides a sequence of related but varied spaces. In terms of an urban design response this proposal meets the intent of the Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital vision and addresses some of the Space Syntax issues. 217) The proposal is a very elegant solution. It looks deceptively simple …but then so does the Apple computer. 218) ”Simple does not mean simplistic. The quality of a layout lies in its functional, monumental [hierarchized] and dimensional [in terms of length, breadth and texture] relevance. [Bernard Huet Page 14 . Article Attached] 219) As stated in The Joint Witness Statement “an “at grade” solution is preferred if the requirements for traffic movement can be met”.

CONCLUSION

220) Any major intervention into Wellington City affects the overall quality of the city. An intervention can have positive or negative impacts. It may have a combination of both. The Basin Bridge Proposal locates a large above grade motorway in arguably one of the most sensitive precincts of Wellington. The proposed Basin Bridge Project therefore has significant negative impacts on Wellington City and the Basin Reserve Precinct. There are few positive outcomes. 221) The Basin Bridge Proposal: i) Confuses the spatial structure impairing legibility, historic reference, identity and variety ii) Destroys an entry to the city that has the “wow” factor iii) Negates the opportunities to reinforce Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Roundabout and Adelaide Road as the main north-south spine from harbour to harbour. Negates the opportunities to reinforce Kent and Cambridge Terrace, the Roundabout and Adelaide Road as an integrated hierarchical spatial system iv) Dismantles the historic roundabout as the primary spatial organizing element of traffic and pedestrians. v) Severs the city from north to south vi) Devalues the role of Government House and The National War Memorial. vii) Creates an imbalance in the space of the Roundabout and the Basin Reserve viii) Distorts the internal organization of the Basin Reserve ix) Contributes substantial “left over” land and space related to the motorway requirements x) Looses the opportunity for urban infill development with the related urban form and economic benefits xi) Introduces buildings and planting to mitigate systemic problems thereby adding to the confused spatial structure xii) Is totally contrary to the Wellington 2040 Spatial Structure Plan and Wellington Towards 2040: Smart Capital

33 xiii) Provides no assessment of the economic potential impact on Wellington City failing to address issues such as loss of retail opportunities etc, impact on tourism as raised in the Space Syntax Analysis Report. To this end the impact of the Basin Bridge Proposal on the city wide economics and social cohesion should be tested. xiv) Provides no assessment as to the property devaluation of those properties directly affected 222) The positive outcome is the reduction in traffic on Dufferin, Rugby and Sussex Streets. However this is off set by an increase of traffic on the Ellice and Buckle Street alignment 223) The design team of Athfield Architects and Wraight Associates have obviously endeavoured to address many of the issues associated with the introduction of a grade separated motorway. The Basin Bridge design has tried to resolve the opposing requirements of the motorway alignments and geometry with that of the street grid; the impacts on the batting crease; the impact on the adjacent properties; the quality of the under-croft areas and the loss of views. This complex and beautiful site however is not the place for a grade separated motorway. There are sites in cities where if the original premise is wrong it is not possible to “design out” all the issues. . 224) Wellington City has many of the most desired chacteristics in todays cities.The introduction of a grade separated motorway at this critical historic and topographically sensitive junction will be extremely detrimential to the city and does not support the city envisaged in the Wellington Towards W2040 : Smart City or the technical advice in the Space Syntax Report 225) Infrastructure interventions into a city should respect and enhance those characteristics that are valued in the city 226) Regardless of any traffic benefits this highly significant area of Wellington and the Nation should not be subjected to such an inappropriate road project. The traffic benefits appear slender at most but the impacts on so many buildings, places and people are significant. Wellington is not a regional American town, it is the Capital City of New Zealand .The impacts are not just about the City but about the Nation.

Recommendation

To refuse the application by the New Zealand Transport Authority for The Basin Reserve Bridge Proposal

Dated 17TH DECEMBER 2013

Elizabeth Janice McCredie

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