Trails Wellington Advocacy

Almost all the trails in and around Wellington city are on land owned and managed? Is it addressing a gap in our network? What are the benefits of it? What types of riders will use it? Will by the Wellington City Council.   The Council has a set of policies and plans that govern how these green spaces are managed and their permitted activities.  The Outer Green Belt Management Plan, the Town Belt Management Plan, and the Open Space Access Plan are three key documents that manage the land on which Wellington’s trails are located.  The Department of Conservation and the Resource Management Act also have rules that WCC must follow regarding permitting any trail refurbishments or new trail builds. the WCC have a challenging and complex process to navigate before any new trail can be built. Some of the relevant considerations include:

• Is the trail anticipated already in one of long-term plans for their green belts?
• Does the trail fit into the current trail network? Is it addressing a gap in our network? What are the benefits of it? What types of riders will use it? Will it be shared with walkers/runners?  Will WCC have to pay for it, or does Trails Wellington fund it? Who will support and maintain the trail?
• The new trail idea will require consultation with all interested communities, individuals and interest groups. Are these groups in support of the proposed trail? 
• An evaluation of the ecological impact of the proposed trail needs to be completed.
• If the proposed new trail is not already anticipated in one of the WCC plans it must be submitted to and approved by a majority of Councillors at one of their public hearings.
• Once approved, the actual detailed trail route requires further ecological assessment, sometimes including wildlife surveys, before actual trail work commences. The trail must meet with Recreation Aotearoa guidelines when it is constructed.

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In our experience, a new trail idea that is not in a current plan can take 2 to 3 years to get through the WCC processes.  This is all before any construction work can commence. WCC and Trails Wellington work closely together, to identify opportunities to speed up this process. The single most important opportunity is the 2026 Open Spaces Access Plan.

Our Vision and Plans

One of the best opportunities for us to significantly reduce the timeframes for new trail approvals is to get our plans for new trails into the WCC Open Spaces Access Plan.  This plan is reviewed in 2026 and will be in place for 10 years.

Trails Wellington has been working over the last couple of years to develop a vision for trails in our city and a Trails Master Plan.  If Wellington will reap the benefits of having stunning bush-covered hills and trails in our backyard, we need to have a vision and plan for our city.  Trails Wellington’s vision for Wellington will enhance the health of our city, providing benefits to our environment, improving the health and wellbeing of our community, and delivering solid economic benefits.  For more details on our vision, look here.

The goals for our trails master plan are as follows:

• encourage families and young people to embrace the outdoors;
• provide trails for tourists and visitors to Wellington to encourage visitors to stay longer;
• provide a network of commuter trails, thereby easing congestion on the streets and providing a safer, healthier option for transit around the city;
• Make Wellington the destination of choice for people who want to live in a city and yet be able to embrace the outdoors daily.

Community Engagement

Trails Wellington has shared our vision and plans with our community, leaders and many passionate citizens.

We have shared and worked on our short-term and long-term trail investment plans with WCC. WCC have provided us with invaluable feedback and guidance on what they believe is realistic and which parts of our plan they will and won’t support. WCC has also shared its own investment plans with Trails Wellington. Where possible, we are aligning both organisations’ plans to optimise our shared investment in Wellington’s trail network.  Our goal is for WCC to value Trails Wellington as an organisation that is helping it achieve its own goals.  

We have also worked with all the Wellington trail areas to understand what their plans are for the future. Mākara Peak has its own master plan agreed with WCC. Matairangi and Waimapihi have their own long-term plans for their respective areas.  We have held a trails community event, surveyed our rider community to understand better what types of trails they would like to see more (or less of) in Wellington.  We have talked to other Wellington rider groups – WORD, Revolve, WMBTC, our community of technical trail builders. 

We have looked at trail development trends in other parts of NZ and internationally. What sort of trails would really attract tourists to Wellington and be loved by our community?

We plan to later this year share the latest iteration of our 10 year masterplan with our community. Our goal is that our masterplan has both community and WCC support and much of it is adopted by WCC into the 2026 Open Space Access Plan.  In order to achieve this our community’s loud voice of support will be important.

The benefits of trails to our city are immense, and Trails Wellington is now delivering a louder and more coherent message to our Council, Iwi and community on how investment in trails can improve the health of our citizens, enhance our environment and improve our economy.

WCC Open Space Access Plan

The Wellington City Council's Open Space Access Plan aims to ensure equitable access to the city's open spaces, including reserves, sports fields, and other public areas. It aims to provide outstanding recreational and tourism opportunities while also promoting environmental enhancement and safety. The plan is a key component of the Council's broader Open Space and Recreation Strategy.

The WCC Open Space and Recreation Strategy was adopted in June 2023. It is a 30-year plan, meaning it provides a strategic framework for managing and developing public open space, recreation facilities, and recreation programs over the next 30 years.

In essence, the WCC Open Space Access Plan is a roadmap for ensuring that Wellington's open spaces are not only beautiful and well-maintained but also accessible and enjoyable for all community members.

Link: WCC Open Space Access Plan

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