Photo: RNZ / Krystal Gibbens
City councillors have voted in favour of saving Wellington's Begonia House, pending public consultation.
The greenhouse, built in 1960 to house exotic plants at the city's Botanic Gardens, faced demolition as the council sought to save money as part of its long-term plan amendment.
But on Wednesday, ahead of the council meeting, mayor Tory Whanau said due to the strong support and fundraising efforts to keep it open, she would introduce an amendment in support of it being renovated, rather than it being demolished.
At the meeting, councillors voted to adopt "Option C do minimum" as its preferred course of action to take out to public consultation.
That means: "Renewals are undertaken where possible, and some assets are demolished and replaced with temporary buildings for the continued operation of Begonia House."
The indicative cost was between $9.9 million and $11m.
The councillors who voted against the move were Tim Brown, Laurie Foon, Rebecca Matthews and Ben NcNulty. Nīkau Wi Neera was absent from the meeting and did not vote.
A separate amendment from councillor Diane Calvert would have seen the option to demolish the building from the consultation document, effectively taking it off the table, but that was voted down by a majority of councillors.
"We have read the room," Mayor Whanau told the meeting. "It is fair, however, to still keep all options on the table for the public to participate in."
The next step would be for the public to give feedback along with the rest of the Long Term Plan when it was released in March/April, and a final decision made in June.
City councillor Iona Pannett told Morning Report she was quietly confident it would be saved following public feedback.
She said there was already $2.5 million in the budget, but the rest would need to be borrowed.
Earlier this morning, supporters had gathered outside the council building to show their support.
Wayne Norwood, the man who's parents had gifted the building to the city, said the mayor was only one vote, and he had hoped the other councillors would get on board.
"I'm told that it's going to cost up to 5.6 million to pull down," he said. "For a little bit more we can have a lovely facility upgraded and it'll last for another 60 years."
Friends of the Wellington Botanic Garden president Mazz Scannell would have preferred to see demolition completely taken off the table.
"You can't say that you've listened to the people and you're prepared to support the Begonia house, and leave that clause in," she said.
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