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A vision of how Orewa could develop over the next 30 years, which suggests substantial changes to public buildings and options for more parking, is about to be put before Orewa landowners.
The draft Orewa Centre plan, which was prepared by former Rodney District Council planner Jason Evans of ET Urban Design for the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board, follows the release of the draft Silverdale Centre Plan in May.
The plan covers Orewa town centre, as well as the ‘flat land’ within 800m of the town centre. It is a non-statutory document, but local board chair Julia Parfitt says it could be influential, especially if it finds favour with landowners.
“If we get significant buy-in, it will help to get a consensus and influence how the area develops,” she says.
Changes to George Lowe Place, and then Florence Ave, are likely to be the starting point, supported by funding from the local board Capital and Discretionary Funds.
The plan identifies the potential for redevelopment of Council-owned buildings, including Orewa Library and the Community Centre, including building upwards. The report also suggests that areas of George Lowe Place offer interesting opportunities for redevelopment “with a number of sites well established but undercapitalised in building development terms”.
Future car parking provision is also a key focus, with the a parking building in, or close to, the town centre mooted.
The report holds up the current development of the Sands Motel on Orewa Beach into apartments as a model, saying that it “demonstrates a demand for luxury beachfront apartments and it is anticipated this trend will continue into the future”, while at the same time acknowledging that “single house zoning for the beach frontage will limit the potential and render the consent route for apartment developments similar to the Sands Motel development more difficult”.
Although the report points out that the intensification of building in the residential part of Orewa will be moderated by relatively low allowable heights in the short term, in the longer term it says further intensity is inevitable.
With this, comes the need for more open space and trees, and it is here that the report suggests an important role for investment in streetscapes and other public spaces to soften the visual impact and provide landscape character.
“New proposals to improve the quality of existing streets (as well as proper maintenance) are required to offset the impact of density,” the report says. “The Long Term Plan has previously identified funding for street improvements and it is suggested this is coordinated with other improvements such as cycle lane development and footpath improvements to ensure maximum benefit.”
It also says notes the need for expansion of the walking and cycling network, completion of Stages 2 and 3 of the Boulevard project and a re-designed Gateway to Orewa.
Local board chair Julia Parfitt says while initially consultation is with ‘stakeholders’ only (principally Orewa landowners, developers and business association Destination Orewa Beach), this is likely to be extended to the general public, as happened with the Silverdale Centre Plan.
The draft plan. [12MB PDF]
Orewa Library: The report identifies the redevelopment of Orewa Library and the adjacent Pharmacy and Radiology businesses as “a rare opportunity”. This area has the tallest town centre height allowances of seven storeys in the proposed Auckland Unitary Plan. The report suggests that redevelopment, together with neighbouring landowners, could provide a library and medical services on the ground floor and apartments to ‘sleeve’ the building bulk on floors 2–5. The core of the building could provide around 280 car parks. It notes that any such plan would affect the northern aspect of The Nautilus and its swimming pool.
Orewa Community Centre: The plan includes a suggestion that the Orewa Community Centre has the potential for redevelopment to consolidate and extend services, taking advantage of the height allowable there of approximately seven storeys.
Car park building: Also considered by the former Rodney District Council, the report says that the bus depot site in Centreway Rd still offers significant advantages to retain the existing function whilst developing a commercial car park – perhaps in joint venture with the Council. “The need to consider parking provision by private sector initiative or public sector intervention will become increasingly important for Orewa if it is to become a successful centre for visitors shopping and employment centre,” the report says.
