Shape the heart of your city
Consultation has concluded.
Thank you to everyone who shared feedback and thoughts on our city centre street upgrades.
Throughout August and September 2025 we gathered people’s experiences in the city centre as well as feedback on our proposed scenarios for where we should prioritise our street upgrades.
There will be more opportunities to provide feedback during the next stage of work in 2026.
What we heard
Overall, there were some key themes that came through from all our engagement:
Improve the route between the new Melling station, pedestrian and cycle bridge, bus interchange and city centre making it safe for pedestrians, disabled people and cyclists.
Better crossing on Knights Road is needed to make it safe for pedestrians and disabled people to access the bus interchange, shopping centre, civic precinct (including The Dowse Art Museum) and connect to the wider area.
Refresh tired spaces rather than areas more recently invested in.
Parking is important and more choice is needed e.g. accessible parking spaces, drop off/loading zones, a mix of short stay and longer stay.
Amenities, events and outdoor activities particularly on Margaret Street, High Street and Andrews Avenue.
Create strong connections to the river.
What’s next?
Council will proceed with combining elements of the top two scenarios (Cross-city Connections and Riverside Precinct), as well as incorporating the key themes and other feedback about project prioritisation. This work will inform the Streetscape Strategy before its adoption by Council.
Once the Streetscape Strategy is adopted we will move to the design of the upgrades and will continue to engage with the community and businesses throughout the design process.
You can get in contact with the project team at streetscapes@huttcity.govt.nz
Shape the heart of your city
We’re taking a close look at the streets in our city centre – how they look, how they feel, and how well they work for the people who use them every day.
Whether you live nearby, work in the area, or just love spending time in the city centre, we want to hear what matters most to you and where we should focus our mahi.
Some streets are already set for upgrades so they can integrate with Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink) works, but what those changes look like and where else we should invest is still up for discussion. Your feedback will help us get it right.
We’re especially keen to hear how we can make the city centre a place that supports local business, brings people together, and feels alive - for everyone who calls Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai Lower Hutt home and everyone who visits.
Let’s shape a city centre that works for all of us.
Why our city centre?
We’ve got a once-in-a-generation opportunity to bring new life to our city centre as part of Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi (RiverLink). This programme is helping to protect Lower Hutt from flooding, improve our transport connections, and turn the city back to embrace our river.
As part of this, some city centre streets are facing major change, giving us the chance to rethink how they look and function:
Daly Street - This street needs to be permanently closed to enable the construction of a higher stopbank to protect the city.
Margaret Street – This is where the new City Link Bridge will land on the east side of the river. It will become one of the main entrances into our city centre.
Andrews Avenue – With Daly Street closing, we’ll need a new layout at the top of Andrews Avenue.
Dudley Street – Changes to other city centre streets could mean this street’s shape and flow may need to shift.
High Street and Queens Drive roundabout - This area will need some changes to enable the construction of a higher stopbank to protect the city
Have your say
We want to hear about your experiences in the city centre and what features are most important to you, so we can prioritise what we invest in.
❤️ Share what you love about our city centre. What's working well that you don't want to lose?
❌ Share what you find challenging when you move about our city centre. What isn't working well and needs to change?
⭐ Share your ideas for our streets! Have you seen something cool in another city? Share a photo!
Every pin on the map will go in the draw to win vouchers from our city centre cafes.
What’s happened so far?
Our current mahi builds on the ideas and priorities shared through the City Centre Framework which provides the vision, objectives and outcomes we want to see for our city centre. The Framework was developed with input from businesses, the community and Mana Whenua, and reflects the ideas and aspirations of the city centre community.
So far you have told us that:
You want a vibrant, people-friendly city centre that’s easier to move around in.
The river should feel like part of the city, with better spaces for people to enjoy.
Parking, vehicle movement and accessibility are big concerns for businesses and visitors.
For more information on what we heard about the city centre visit Shape your city centre.
What happens next?
You can share feedback with us from Monday 4 August until midnight, Monday 1 September 2025.
Using your feedback and everything we’ve already heard from our city centre community, we’ll develop some plans for how our city centre streets could look and where we should prioritise investment.
We’ll share these with you later in the year and you’ll be able to provide feedback.
