Wellington City councillors splashed out $1 million to buy a forest in Tawa despite council officers objecting to the purchase.

Community environmental volunteer group Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves asked the council to bid for the Forest of Tane to save it from developers.

The forest, which comprises 32 hectares of rural-zoned land on the western hills above Tawa, contains 20 hectares of managed pine forest ready for harvest, with the balance in regenerating native forest.

SUPPLIED Wellington city councillors Peter Gilberd, Jill Day and Malcolm Sparrow celebrate the council's purchase of the 36 hectare Forest of Tane in Tawa.

The guide published by the seller estimated its value at between $1.2m and $1.5m but the council paid $1.1m for the land and forestry cutting rights.

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Papers on the purchase say the value of the forestry would vary depending on the market price at the time of harvest. The council put a conservative value estimate of $500,000 on that.

Minutes from the public-excluded meeting in February, where councillors voted in favour of the purchase, show council officers recommended they did not submit a tender and instead work with the new owners to negotiate a shared walking and cycling connection.

The councillors then voted on amendments that authorised the chief executive to submit a tender up to a maximum of $1.2m. They also agreed to an overspend of $1.3m and instructed officers to investigate options for generating income but limiting housing development.

The rural-zoned land is not considered suitable for higher-density development so the council intends to use the land for recreation and green space by including it as part of the Outer Town Belt.

It is believed councillors Nicola Young, Paul Eagle, David Lee and Simon Marsh were opposed to the purchase, but Young was the only one who voted against it after the final debate.

It is also understood the reason the mature pine trees were not milled by the previous owner was because it would cost more to mill them than the milled logs would be worth.

This loss is believed to be one of the reasons some councillors were opposed to the purchase.

Councillor Peter Gilberd, who is the city scientist and natural environment portfolio leader, said the cost would have to come from borrowing.

The final vote to buy the forest was strongly endorsed because the benefits were intergenerational, he said.

Northern Ward councillor Malcolm Sparrow said the unbudgeted purchase came out of the blue for council officers, who were concerned after crunching the numbers.

"I understand we were not the highest tender but it had the fewest strings attached and perhaps there may have been some consideration that this was being purchased for the public good."

The net cost could end up being under $1m, he said.

"We had provisos that some of the money could be recouped for logging trees and selling small sections at the bottom."

Councillor Jill Day said the decision to acquire the land followed a strong push from the community.

"There was compelling information from [opposing] council officers but we had to make a strategic decision that was right for the city."