Having a say on growth

By Pete Sinton
Chair, Warkworth Area Liaison Group

Planned growth in Warkworth will be five times the current population, so the Warkworth Area Liaison Group (WALG) is asking the district if this is what they want for their town.

Auckland Council plans provide for a future population up to 30,000 over the next 30 years with higher density proposed around the centre and other outer areas. This will change the character of the town and surrounding areas significantly. There is already pressure for earlier development with developers promoting private plan changes to enable more housing in outlying areas well ahead of the planned release of those areas. The infrastructure (services and roading) is already under capacity and not ready to accommodate such growth at this time. This shows a real lack of coordination by council between the release of land and provision of vital infrastructure.

The type of development proposed in the Warkworth Structure Plan will be of a much higher density than is considered appropriate, ultimately changing the character significantly. Such development will create demand for more roading and affect the physical character of the land. It will also create issues of erosion, water quality, landscape quality, as well as generating significantly more traffic. It will not just affect the town centre and immediate urban area, but also the outlying areas such as Snells Beach and Matakana.

The WALG, which is a group of highly experienced professionals and other organisations, is deeply concerned about the impact this will have on the community of the whole Warkworth district. Its message is simply this: Does the community realise what will happen to Warkworth and district if these proposals are not challenged by the community?

It needs to ensure that it gets the pattern and type of development for Warkworth that it wants and is appropriate for the district in the future.

A public meeting in the Warkworth Town Hall on September 16, starting at 7pm, is being held to provide background, and find out from the community how it sees the future of Warkworth. It is a real opportunity for us to be able to manage our own future rather than having it imposed on us by the authorities. Take this opportunity to voice your concerns.