Wellington Approves 250-Unit, 12-Storey Apartment Complex in Aro Valley

A controversial 12-storey apartment and retail complex at the city fringe of Aro Valley has been granted resource consent, clearing the way for one of the most significant redevelopment projects the suburb has seen in decades. The decision was handed down by an independent hearing panel late Thursday.

The approval for the project, dubbed “The Aro Point” by developers Capital Futures Group, lands squarely in the middle of Wellington’s intense housing debate. City planners are under immense pressure to enable more housing close to the CBD, driven by a persistent supply shortfall and central government directives like the National Policy Statement on Urban Development. This project is being watched as a bellwether for how the city will balance its stated goals of intensification against the character of its oldest residential neighbourhoods.

A New Hub for Epuni Street

The development will occupy a large, derelict site on Epuni Street, just a short walk from the main Aro Street shops and the Garage Project brewery. The property, a former printing works, has been vacant since 2018. Plans submitted to the Wellington City Council show two interconnected buildings, the taller of which will reach 12 storeys, containing 250 apartments above ground-floor retail and hospitality spaces. Its scale drew considerable local attention during the submission process.

Organisations like the Aro Valley Progressive Association argued the height and bulk of the proposed building were out of step with the suburb’s prevailing low-rise character. They raised concerns about traffic congestion on the narrow street and the shadowing effect on nearby homes and Aro Park. In contrast, pro-density groups such as A City for People publicly supported the application, pointing to the critical need for more homes within walking or cycling distance of the central city and Victoria University’s Kelburn campus.

Density by the Numbers

Capital Futures Group’s consent documents, first lodged with the council on March 15, 2026, outline a project with a construction budget exceeding $150 million. The 250 apartments will be a mix of studio, one, two, and three-bedroom units. The project also includes 80 basement car parks, a number reduced from initial plans following feedback from council transport planners. Completion is tentatively scheduled for the third quarter of 2028.

This single development represents a notable step towards meeting the city’s long-term housing targets. Wellington City Council's own 2025 Housing Assessment identified a need for more than 30,000 additional dwellings across the city by 2050 to keep pace with population growth. The panel’s decision cited the project's strategic location and its contribution to housing supply as key factors in granting the consent, though it imposed conditions related to building materials and the creation of a publicly accessible laneway.

With the primary consent now secured, Capital Futures Group must seek detailed building consents before any work can begin. A representative for the developer suggested that site clearing and preparatory works could start before the end of 2026. The project’s approval is expected to give momentum to several other large-scale residential proposals currently awaiting decisions for sites in nearby Te Aro and Newtown, setting the stage for a period of rapid change in the capital’s inner suburbs.