The Wellington Central Library was closed to the public in March 2019 due to new guidelines for concrete buildings revealing a high level of potential failure in a significant earthquake.

A public engagement consultation ran between 27 July and 7 September 2020 to examine preferences for the Central Library redevelopment. The consultation process invited the public to comment on five options for a redevelopment of the Central Library, three with different levels of remediation, and two which proposed a new build.