Wellington City Council (the Council) is proposing to develop a Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) to simplify the alcohol licensing process and help minimise harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol in our community. We do not currently have a LAP in Wellington city.

The Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012 (the Act) allows councils to develop a LAP to set rules around the sale and supply of alcohol which are tailored to local needs and preferences. These rules may relate to licensed premises such as bars, restaurants, social clubs, supermarkets, and bottle stores, and can apply to specific areas or across the whole city.

A LAP may include policies on opening hours, location, proximity, density, one-way door conditions, and other discretionary conditions. A LAP can also include some policies related to licensed events such as festivals. These policies can help to manage alcohol availability in the district to reduce alcohol-related harm.

Any rules or policies included in a LAP must directly relate to alcohol licensing.

The purpose of the alcohol licensing framework within the Act is to provide reasonable control over the sale and supply of alcohol in order to minimise harm caused by excessive or inappropriate consumption of alcohol.

Without a LAP in place, each individual alcohol licence application is assessed under the criteria in the Act on a case-by-case basis by the District Licensing Committee (DLC). Any member of the public or the reporting agencies under the Act (Police, the Medical Officer of Health, licensing inspectors) can object to a licence application, which may require a hearing before the DLC. Objections can cause significant delays to the application process and can create uncertainty for applicants by leading to, for example, changes in licensing conditions or declined licence applications.

Having a LAP can simplify the licensing process by providing clear, locally-relevant rules for licensing that reflect our community’s needs and preferences. This may help to:

• provide clarity and certainty for licence applicants,
• reduce the number of objections to licence applications, and
• reduce alcohol-related harm in our city by managing alcohol availability.

As of May 2026

Councillors and the Mayor are considering the next steps for the development of a LAP during the 2025 – 2028 triennium, including the scale, type, and timing for early community engagement.

Early community engagement may involve talking to and / or surveying business owners, health and social service organisations, and community groups. The Council must also consult with the Police, licensing inspectors, and the Medical Officer of Health when producing a draft policy, and at all stages of development.

Alongside any early engagement we will collate all the evidence required under the Act (see information requirements), and then brief councillors on the evidence and what we have heard. Councillor direction will be sought on whether to develop a LAP and the scope that may be appropriate for Wellington.

If agreed by Councillors, a LAP will be drafted and go through formal public consultation under the Local Government Act 2002 and a final review by the Council prior to adoption.

To stay informed about the development of the LAP, click the 'Follow' button (top of this page) to sign up for updates. We will share more information about how you can have your say throughout the process.