Green light for Johnsonville mega-mall

BIG AND BOLD: How the main entrance in Johnsonville Rd would look. The redevelopment is planned over two stages, with the first built within five years.

The $100 million-plus redevelopment of Johnsonville Shopping Centre has been given the green light, but there is disagreement over the impact it will have on other shopping strips, including those in central Wellington.

Commissioners issued their decision last night, allowing the mall to be transformed by DNZ Property Group into more than 100 shops on two levels, spread over 34,000 square metres.

DNZ retail development general manager Alan McKinnon said he was delighted with the decision but would not say when work would start.

It will be done in two stages, the first of which will see the redevelopment of the existing centre. Shops now fronting Johnsonville Rd and the eastern end of Broderick Rd will be retained.

A separate four-level car park will be built in the southwest corner of the site, which will also include shops and a gym.

Stage two has consent for the next 10 years and would see the redevelopment of those shops in Johnsonville Rd and Broderick Rd not touched during the first stage, and a rooftop car park.

Once the mall is up and running, it is estimated that it will generate up to $12.8m a year for the Wellington economy and add an extra 200 fulltime jobs.

A report prepared for the developer last year showed that more than $44m of consumer spending would move to Johnsonville in the first year of operation from Wellington's central retail area – from Lambton Quay to the Embassy Theatre, Manners Mall, Cuba St and Thorndon.

Wellington City Council's urban development and transport leader Andy Foster said that, despite this, the council supported the mega-mall project.

"The economic assessment does say that it will have some impact but it also says the CBD will recover quite quickly and carry on growing." The assessment said full economic recovery of the city's retail centre was expected within three years.

Wellington Regional Chamber of Commerce chief executive Charles Finny was positive about the jobs that the new mall would provide and said competition was a good thing for businesses.

"I know a number of people were worried about what impact it would have on the wider retail industry in the sector, but we are very confident that we have a very resilient retail sector."

However, Kirkcaldie & Stains managing director John Milford said some shops could be forced out of business.

"There is only a certain amount of retail dollars spent and if it is spent there [Johnsonville] it is not spent in the Golden Mile. That's got to put some businesses at risk."

Fletcher Construction Wellington region manager Richard Coupe said the revamp would keep tradesmen busy for 2 1/2 years. "It would be the largest commercial project ... in Wellington to go ahead within the next year."

Mr Foster said design guidelines had been imposed so that street edges of the mega-mall were attractive to the public. It included rules around the size and location of shop windows and lighting.

"We no longer just accept blank walls like, for example, the Countdown supermarket that is there."

Johnsonville Progressive Association transport spokesman Tony Randle said the mega-mall was needed so the area could continue to grow. "It lets Johnsonville go ahead because it's exploding out of its current clothing."

The council will improve roads and intersections around the mall so they can cope with increased traffic from the upgrade and from expected population growth.

- © Fairfax NZ News