Wellington's failed movie museum could soon be back on the table, with mayor Andy Foster hinting plans for the project are well under way.

Foster told media following his "state of the city" address to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday he was confident Sir Peter Jackson's movie museum would become a reality, after initial plans for the project fell over.

The museum was initially proposed to be part of the city's planned convention centre, but was scrapped last year following disagreement between Jackson and Wellington City Council.

Foster has previously said the failed project was a missed opportunity, and was hopeful the attraction could be established somewhere else in the city.

SUPPLIED A Sir Peter Jackson movie museum could soon be back on the table for Wellington. (File photo)

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When asked by media why he was now confident in the future of the project, Foster said: "You'll find out."

He would not disclose which site was now being looked at, or whether it was his association with Jackson - who funded Foster's recent mayoral campaign - that was driving the new proposal.

During his speech to a large crowd of invited guests at Wellington's PwC building, Foster listed the movie museum as one of his key priorities to drive economic development over the next year.

He said the council's initial failure to secure the attraction was a "crying shame", and the museum would be fantastic for Wellington.

ROSS GIBLIN/STUFF Wellington Mayor Andy Foster says people "will find out" why he's confident the museum will be built. (File photo)

"I was reading something the other day when I was in Hamilton that Hobbiton [Movie Set Tours], in rural Waikato, had 644,000 visitors last year.

"So if you can do that in rural Waikato with a bunch of Hobbit holes, what could we do in Wellington with all the movie opportunities that there are?"

Foster also reiterated his desire to bring forward construction of an extra Mt Victoria tunnel, and revealed he would meet with Transport Minister Phil Twyford shortly to discuss the matter.

Twyford said that meeting would take place on Wednesday and would also include Greater Wellington Regional Council chairman Daran Ponter.

The tunnel project is part of the $6.4 billion Let's Get Wellington Moving programme, and is currently scheduled to be completed sometime after 2029.

SUPPLIED The movie museum was initially planned to be part of Wellington's new convention centre. (File photo)

While Foster said he understood Twyford was open to a conversation about renegotiating the programme's timeline, Twyford said that was not an option.

Twyford also ruled out reconsidering a congestion charge to help fund the programme, something which Foster said should be an option for the council.

Other ideas floated by Foster during his presentation included creating rooftop gardens for buildings in the struggling Civic Square, modernising the city's central library, establishing a military museum, and strengthening Wellington's identity as the capital city.

Wellington Chamber of Commerce chief executive John Milford issued a challenge to Foster and the council to get the city moving after nine years of stagnation.

He said a recent trip to a bustling Auckland highlighted that "every minute we're talking about doing stuff, Auckland's actually doing it".

"And they're actually going to reap the benefits years before we do in Wellington."

STATE OF THE CITY

* Up to 80,000 new residents expected over next 30 years

* Current space for 20,294 new residential dwellings (up to 12,000 short to meet demand over next 30 years)

* Regions currently growing faster than Wellington City

* 60 per cent of morning commuters to central city walk, cycle,or use public transport (up from 48 per cent in 2000)

* Projected rates increase of more than 50 per cent over next 10 years

* Let's Get Wellington Moving programme currently forecast to increase debt by $1b