CURRENT waterfront development might mean the end of Wellington rowing.

Star and Wellington Rowing Clubs are concerned that Wellington Waterfront Ltd’s proposed redevelopment of the Taranaki Street Wharf could lead to the demise of the clubs.

They are worried the proposed construction of a Wharenui (meeting house with café, gallery and dining room attached) by Wellington Tenths Trust and Wellington Waterfront Ltd, for which resource consent applications have been lodged and publicly notified, will make the transport of large trucks and trailers difficult as a result of the close proximity of the proposed meeting house.

"We don’t disagree with the development of the area," Wellington Rowing Club spokesperson Brent Ashley says, "but we don’t want our access restricted."

He says a number of club members feel they are being closed in, and are not wanted there.

"The proposed sharing of paved areas with pedestrians and heavy vehicles could cause safety problems when manoeuvring across the front of the Wharenui where outdoor café seating is planned," he says.

An assessment of traffic impact by Tim Kelly Transportation concluded the manoeuvres required to gain access to boat storage with the existing trailers are achievable, but with no margin for any error.

Fran Wilde, Wellington Waterfront Ltd spokesperson, says vehicles and pedestrians have always been mixed on the waterfront.

Asked whether Wellington Waterfront Ltd would consider moving the Wharenui a few metres to give the rowers more space to transport the trucks Wilde says, "We are continuing to look into the issue. The rowing clubs are very important for the young people, and it is absolutely imperative they continue to exist."

Further discussions between Wellington Waterfront Ltd, Wellington Tenths Trust and the Wellington Rowing Club will occur this week. Each party is preparing their arguments for the August 22 consent hearing, which will decide whether the resource consent application is accepted.

The proposed development of the area also includes an extension of the lagoon, a bridge extension from City to Sea Bridge towards Te Papa, a new lagoon beach, and the removal of a grassy mound followed by the development of two new grassed areas.