Wellington - 1 September 2023
It is with deeply mixed emotions that Shelly Bay Taikuru Limited and The Wellington Company announce that they will not be going ahead with the planned development at Shelly Bay.
New owners of the private landholdings, Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh say, “It’s a wonderful coastline that holds a great deal of cultural and historical significance. Suffice to say we are looking forward to restoring the natural beauty of the bay.”
The decision to step away from the development was not an easy one and was carefully considered. Ian Cassels says, “It’s been an incredibly challenging project on multiple 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 that have supported and assisted us along the way.”
“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. It also enables us to refocus energy into our affordable housing initiatives, which to me is ultimately more important. We genuinely wish Peter and Fran all the best moving forward with their plans for the bay.”
Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh say, “Our immediate goal is to start the landscaping and replanting work required to return Shelly Bay to its natural state. Longer term, we’re keen to look at ways it could be used for both arts and recreation."
Over the next few weeks, the parties will work together to remediate the site.
