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Developer and Warkworth commercial landlord Jamie Peters has called for an independent review of the options being considered by Watercare for a pipeline through the town centre.
He told a forum convened by One Mahurangi and Chris Penk MP last Friday, June 7, that he did not have confidence that Watercare would deliver the right decision for the town. His comments were supported by long-time infrastructure campaigner Roger Williams, who said the review should start immediately.
Watercare representatives attended the forum, including chief strategy and planning officer Priyan Perera, and heard first-hand the impassioned pleas of four retail and hospitality representatives.
Bridgehouse owner Ian Holt apologised for getting emotional. He said road closures in the past had cost him thousands of dollars in lost revenue. The jobs of 38 people were at stake and the town was already on its knees. While the plan hung over their heads, the business was unsaleable.
“I beg you to look at another option,” he said.
Bin Inn owner Jill Gabriel said her speciality store was totally reliant on cars parking outside the shop in Elizabeth Street. The promise of pedestrian access would not benefit her.
“We’ve struggled since the motorway opened and [if this pipeline goes ahead through the CBD] we will close,” she said.
Pete & Mary’s Café co-owner Suzannah Hemus said her home had already been severely impacted by Watercare’s wastewater upgrades at Snells Beach.
“Now we face a situation which will kill our business,” she said.
She painted a picture of the struggles the café had gone through since the first covid lockdown and how it had been “touch and go” at times, and begged Watercare to reconsider any proposal to put the pipeline down Queen Street.
Her comments were echoed by The Photo Store owner Colin Stables, who said the majority of his customers were elderly.
“We [the businesses of Warkworth] can’t fund this project,” he said. “Through the Great Financial Crisis and covid, we did what we had to do to survive, but I think this will be too much. We won’t be able to survive it.”
One Mahurangi manager Murray Chapman said he estimated that between 60 and 70 per cent of businesses in the town would not renew their leases or would close if the pipeline through the town centre went ahead.
Watercare acting chief customer officer Brent Evans told the audience that “this is not our first rodeo”.
“This is probably not want you want to hear, but we’ve put in infrastructure under wealthy homes in
Auckland and through business centres,” he said. “We know it will be disruptive with impacts, wherever it goes. But we are listening to what you are telling us.”
Planner Burnette O’Connor pointed out that what had happened elsewhere would not necessarily be relevant in the context of Warkworth, which was a satellite town and a rural service town, quite different from anything Watercare would have encountered in central Auckland.
Perera said that at the delivery stage, Watercare would meet with impacted parties so customers could still park, the elderly could still access shops and service deliveries could still be achieved.
One Mahurangi co-chair Dave Stott said he was very disappointed that Watercare had dismissed the option of taking the pipeline under the former ladies bowls club in Shoesmith Street, thereby bypassing the town centre. One Mahurangi had spoken to affected property owners in that area who were not opposed to the plan.
“In many ways, this option would be an easier one for Watercare to take,” he said.
The new sewer pipeline is needed to take wastewater from major housing developments on the north-west side of town to a new pump station in Lucy Moore Park, construction of which could take anywhere from 14 to 22 months (see story below).
Watercare said it could not afford to delay the project and promised to revisit the Shoesmith Domain option.
A final decision on the route was expected this month, but it may now be August before the town traders learn their fate.
