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Around 80 residents turned out for a public meeting about the changes in residential zoning which are about to take place on Whangaparāoa Peninsula.
The meeting on May 21 at Whangaparāoa Hall proved to be only the beginning, with a further public meeting to take place on June 11, along with an online petition, lobbying MPs, and spreading the word throughout the area.
Auckland Council is currently revisiting its Unitary Plan zoning, to allow more housing density. It is required to do this because of changes to the Resource Management Act that were enacted last December by central government. These include Medium Density Residential Standards (MDRS), which allow three homes of up to three storeys on most residential sites without resource consent.
The effects will be felt throughout the Hibiscus Coast but particularly on Whangaparāoa Peninsula, where the population could as much as triple. Under the Unitary Plan, the steep topography and limitations on infrastructure such as roading, stormwater and sewage resulted in a large area of single house zoning on the peninsula.
This is set to change. Away from the coastal edges, much of the peninsula will be re-zoned residential mixed housing urban (in line with the MDRS) allowing more intense development than is possible currently under the Unitary Plan, without consultation with neighbours.
Distances from boundaries will reduce, and three homes, 12m tall (three-four storeys) can be built, as of right, with more density possible if non-notified resource consent is granted. No on-site parking will be required.
With the amount of development currently taking place along the peninsula already a concern, feelings ran high in a packed hall, with residents saying they are prepared to do whatever it takes to stop these changes in their tracks.
This is despite the fact that most of those at the meeting were homeowners, who stand to gain if selling up, if the new zoning makes sites more attractive to developers.
Key amongst the residents’ concerns is that infrastructure will not cope with densely packed housing and large-scale population growth. Congestion, insufficient public transport, the effects on schools, social and environmental impacts and limited open space were among the concerns raised.
They have an uphill battle, and a short timeframe – Council will notify its Unitary Plan changes in August, giving people a chance to have their say, but on August 20 the MDRS come into effect.
Lobbying Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell and Labour List MP Marja Lubeck were top of the list of actions decided on at the meeting – the resource management legislation had cross-party support, with the exception of Act.
“They need to front up and explain how this got approved,” one resident said. “How can they ignore the fact the peninsula is totally unsuited to more housing density?”
The meeting was called by Albany Ward Councillors Wayne Walker and John Watson. They said that the new zoning would be “a disaster” for the peninsula.
“There’s no doubt that affordable housing is needed, but this will not achieve that,” Cr Watson said. “In fact, it will increase the prices paid for properties by developers, who will make a profit by building more homes and probably not selling them cheaply.”
He also pointed out that while Penlink will relieve congestion, it will only affect the top third of the peninsula and Silverdale, with traffic on the other two-thirds still having to crawl along in rush hour until the Penlink intersection. Without widening Whangaparāoa Road, there can be no dedicated bus lane or cycleway to relieve traffic.
Cr Walker described the process as “a simmering political time bomb”. He said while many Aucklanders were blissfully unaware of the zoning changes, some – including those in heritage areas, and on Whangaparāoa Peninsula – are taking collective action.
“Council failed to take leadership and stand up against this,” Cr Walker said. “The changes apply all over the country, but Auckland is the largest local government entity, and should have taken a stand.”
Another public meeting on the issue will take place on Saturday, June 11 at 10am at Whangaparāoa Hall. MP Mark Mitchell and Labour List MP Marja Lubeck are invited.
A petition will be put on the website Petitions.nz – look for ‘Stop Government Housing Intensification on Hibiscus Coast’.
Info: The maps are at https://bit.ly/3wJ7Pk6
The technical stuff – Council has to make these changes but does have limited decision-making powers. It will be able to determine exceptions, called ‘qualifying matters’ which may allow it to limit building heights or density where intensification is not suitable such as areas with natural hazards, or cultural, historic or ecological significance. The qualifying matters will be known in August when the plan is notified and the public can make submissions. • An Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) reviews all submissions, holds hearings and makes recommendations to Council on the intensification plan change. Council can accept or reject the recommendations, or provide an alternative recommendation. If Council accepts an IHP recommendation, the relevant parts of the Unitary Plan become operative following notification of Council’s decision. If the council rejects an IHP recommendation and provides an alternative, the Minister for the Environment makes the final decision to accept or reject it. The relevant parts of the Unitary Plan become operative following notification of the Minister’s decision. • There is no ability to appeal these decisions to the Environment Court. Back stories, November 22, 2021, April 18 & May 2, 2022.
Government politicians say
All parties apart from Act supported the intensification legislation.
• Whangaparāoa MP Mark Mitchell says National supported the bill because of the need for brownfield development (intensification in existing residential areas) to increase housing supply. However, he agrees that peninsula residents have cause for concern because of constraints there. “Where intensification happens is up to Councils and it should not go forward unless the infrastructure is there to support it,” Mitchell says. “How it works comes down to them.”
• Marja Lubeck is the Labour list MP based in Kaipara ki Mahurangi, who has oversight of this area for Labour. She says the legislation reduces regulation to increase housing affordability and supply. But that it is important that services are available where intensification occurs. “When the legislation was announced, Housing Minister, Dr Megan Woods, said there would be exemptions. The Minister also said Councils can influence how housing development is delivered in line with how they provide infrastructure. If people feel strongly, I encourage them to have their say when submissions open.”
