Johnsonville, then and now
Higher density by the railway
Ministers classified the Johnsonville Line as rapid transit, which brings the six-storey rules for land within a 10-minute walk of its stops. Expect more apartments and townhouses with shared walls, shared services and a body corporate.
A state housing past
Johnsonville grew quickly from 1938, when state houses went up on the former Native Reserve between Broderick Road and Fraser Avenue. Electricity first arrived in 1909, supplied by the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board.
Young, busy and partly renting
Johnsonville had 11,520 people in 4,215 dwellings at the 2023 Census, with a median age of 36.3 and 21.3% aged 15 to 29. Across Wellington City, 41.37% of households didn't own their home.
Wellington Electricity's lines, and Mt Kaukau's wind
An equipment fault on 7 October 2024 cut power across Ohariu, Johnsonville and Churton Park, up to 989 customers at its peak. Housing runs west to the foot of Mt Kaukau, where the June 2013 storm brought a 202 km/h gust. The emergency line is 0800 248 148.
Apartments and townhouses: what's different
Who owns which wiring. In a unit title development, your own unit's wiring and board are usually yours, while the main switchboard, meters, lifts and car park lighting are common property run by the body corporate. Check your body corporate rules before booking work on anything shared.
EV charging in a shared car park. WorkSafe says a socket for a 32 A charger is allowed in a home, but the maximum demand must be assessed and some form of load management is recommended. In a building with several chargers, that assessment covers the whole supply, so the body corporate usually needs to agree a plan.
Smoke alarms in new units. New homes are built to the Building Code's C/AS1, which names interconnected smoke alarms complying with NZS 4514. Rentals follow Tenancy Services' rules, which are different.
The older state houses
Houses from the 1940s and 1950s often still have their original board, too few power points and cable that's been extended many times. An electrician can test it and tell you whether a board upgrade or a rewire comes first. If it's a rental, the healthy homes standards also apply: a fixed heater for the living room, and extractor fans that vent outside.
Our advice for Johnsonville
In an apartment, we'd talk to the body corporate before getting quotes for a charger, because the answer often depends on the building's supply. In a state house, we'd start with an inspection of the board and wiring, then decide on the rest.
Want a specialist to sort it?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match the licence-checked local electrician who does this kind of work, and they call you. No ring-around, and your number goes to them alone.