On 17 June, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga issued the following statement on the Gordon Wilson and McLean Flats:

Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga is deeply disappointed by the impending decision to demolish Wellington’s Gordon Wilson and McLean Flats, two buildings of significant heritage value that have long been part of Wellington’s social and architectural landscape.

The Flats are entered as a Category 1 historic place on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero – recognising them as places of special or outstanding historical significance. Their inclusion on the List followed a robust and transparent process, including public and stakeholder consultation, and was based on clear and compelling evidence of their heritage value. 

Entry on The List does not give the buildings protection. That came through scheduling on the Wellington City Council’s district plan and the will of the owner and wider community to see them retained. The Flats are currently scheduled as heritage in Wellington City’s District Plan, which was further upheld by the Environment Court in 2017. 

The Gordon Wilson and McLean Flats stand as rare examples of mid-20th century state housing, designed under the guidance of Gordon Wilson, Chief Architect for the Department of Housing Construction from 1936 to 1959. The buildings together reflect the evolution of European Modernist architectural principles as applied in New Zealand, and their social significance is equally profound: they were once home to generations of New Zealanders, many of whom lived there due to the same social and economic forces that shaped our nation’s history – economic conditions that people today may sympathise with. 

While the current condition of the buildings may affect public perception, their heritage values remain intact.  

“The superficial deterioration from years of disuse and lack of maintenance does not diminish the significance of their design or their contribution to the social fabric of the city,” says Dr Jamie Jacobs, Director Central Region HNZPT. 

“However, building condition is a resolvable matter. Refurbishment and strengthening are achievable and could return the buildings to their original use as residential accommodation – retaining both function and history.” 

Pouhere Taonga acknowledges the broader challenges involved in balancing heritage outcomes with development goals, and the national heritage agency advocates for considered and sustainable decisions. In this case, the environmental impacts of demolition and rebuild, the heritage loss, and the irony of demolishing existing accommodation to construct proposed new accommodation, raise serious concerns about the long-term wisdom of this outcome. 

It is a regrettable outcome for Wellington City’s architectural legacy, for its history of social housing, and for the communities who once called these buildings home. 

Pouhere Taonga remains committed to advocating for places of heritage value, and to working constructively with all partners – local and national – to ensure New Zealand’s diverse stories and landscapes are protected for future generations. 

Image: Ballofstring (Wikimedia Commons)