Housing

Shelly Bay developer pleased council 'saw through the mist'

08:25 am on 12 November 2020

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A $500 million dollar housing development in Wellington's Shelly Bay is a step closer to beginning after seven hours of intense debate at the City Council.

The council owns a key piece of the peninsula needed for the development, which it will now sell and lease for the project, the rest is iwi land.

It didn't come without a fight - three people were kicked out for repeatedly yelling in the meeting.

The iwi, Taranaki Whanui is divided over the decision to sell the land to developer Ian Cassels.

A group from within the iwi, Mau Whenua, staunchly oppose the sale and have lodged court action over the legitimacy of the sale.

The decision is good news for the developer Ian Cassels, but he has concerns opposition to developments is putting the city into "reverse gear".

Cassels speaks to Susie Ferguson.