Environmental activists and protest group Mau Whenua are celebrating the scrapping of the controversial $500 million Shelly Bay (Marukaikuru) development in Pōneke (Wellington).
The developer has sold the land to filmmaker Sir Peter Jackson and his wife Dame Fran Walsh, vocal opponents of the redevelopment. The news marks a victory for the protest group, which includes members of mana whenua Taranaki Whānui, and has been fighting against the development for years.
“Mau whenua are pleased to hear the news that Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh have brought an end to the development at Shelly Bay,” spokesperson Catherine Love said on Facebook.
“Sir Peter and Dame Fran have a very intimate understanding of our position and the high cultural significance of the whenua at Marukaikuru/Shelly Bay and have been extraordinary supporters of our kaupapa, nō reira me mihi ka tika ki a kōrua.”
The scrapped project, originally to include 700 apartments, had been embroiled in litigation, protests, and even faced a fire earlier this year.
“It’s been an incredibly challenging project on many fronts with years of conjecture. An enormous amount of work has gone into the project to date, and we’d like to express our sincere thanks to those who have supported and assisted us along the way,” developer Ian Cassels said.
Mau whenua began occupying the land in November 2020, alleging that the Port Nicholson Block Settlement Trust (PNBST) had sold the land to the Wellington Company in secret and against the will of its own people.
Cassels noted, “Whilst the project’s cancellation brings about a shift in plans, it opens the door to opportunities for Shelly Bay that will hold different kinds of value for the community and future generations,” he said.
Sir Peter Jackson and Dame Fran Walsh say they want to restore the site.
“Our immediate goal is to start the landscaping and replanting work required to return Shelly Bay to its natural state,” they said in a statement.
“Longer term, we’re keen to look at ways it could be used for both arts and recreation.”
“Kua oti tūturu ngā mahi whakawhanake whenua ki marukaikuru. āe mārika,” Love concluded.
“We look forward to having a kōrero about next steps forward for the whenua,” she said in the statement.