New Northern Suburbs Road to be Officially Opened

A new stretch of road to be officially opened next week will make life easier for Grenada Village and Paparangi residents. The 900-metre extension to Mark Avenue links the existing road with Westchester Drive East, making it more direct and quicker for Grenada Village and Paparangi residents to get on to the Porirua motorway at the Churton Park interchange.

Until now, they have either had to travel via Johnsonville or Newlands on streets that have become increasingly congested.

The new section of road will be officially opened by Mayor Kerry Prendergast on Saturday 4 October at 2.00pm and anyone who wants to will be able to walk the extension (reservoir end of Mark Avenue) before the official celebrations begin.

The new road has been jointly funded by Wellington City Council and landowner Lincolnshire Farms Ltd. The company has developed 120 residential sections on land adjacent to the new road which will soon be available for sale.

The Council's Associate Portfolio Leader for Transport and Urban Development, Councillor Hayley Wain, says the new road will make travel quicker and easier for residents and it will almost certainly provide a more direct route for public transport in the future.

"We expect this part of the city to grow significantly and we have been working with the landowners and community to make sure it develops in an integrated way in line with the Council's framework for managing the growth of the northern suburbs," she says.

"The idea of a road link is something that has been mooted for decades and its completion is a significant step in achieving the shared vision that has been developed for the area. It improves connections and makes these neighbourhoods more accessible for general traffic, public transport and emergency services."

Councillor Andy Foster, Transport and Urban Development Portfolio Leader, says Wellington's population is forecast to continue growing and the City Council is undertaking a range of planning initiatives to ensure the city can accommodate an estimated 44,000 more people over the next 25 years.

"Growth is planned in the northern part of the city where land is available for more traditional housing, but the majority of new households are expected to be in more intensive residential and mixed-use developments in the central city and areas such as Johnsonville, Kilbirnie and the northern end of Adelaide Road, which have excellent services and are on major public transport routes."