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Retailers in Warkworth’s central business area could face more than a year of construction work in the streets outside their businesses if Watercare pursues an option to pipe wastewater from the showgrounds to Lucy Moore Park via Elizabeth, Queen and Baxter Streets.
After nearly two years of investigation, an announcement on the preferred route for the new wastewater pipeline is expected within the next few weeks. Although five routes were originally under consideration, the Elizabeth, Queen and Baxter Streets option is emerging as Watercare’s preferred option.
The pipeline will transport wastewater from new development on the north-western side of town to a pump station in Lucy Moore Park, on the southern side.
Watercare’s chief strategy and planning officer Priyan Perera told Mahurangi Matters last week that all options were still on the table. He would not be drawn to give a guarantee that the Queen Street option would not proceed, despite strong opposition from One Mahurangi Business Association. If it does go ahead, businesses in Queen Street alone are facing at least 12 months of disruptions.
“No matter where the pipeline goes, there will be some impact in Warkworth, whether that’s in the residential or commercial area,” Perera said.
“Either way, we will sit down with affected parties and try to work out how we manage any adverse impacts.”
Briar Rose Flowers owner Briony Finlayson said if Queen Street was closed, her business would close.
“It would ruin us,” she said. “We need foot traffic and we need to be able to do deliveries to survive. After the covid lockdowns, closure of the street for any length of time would be the nail in the coffin for us.
“Perhaps if it was done in sections, or if only half the street was closed, maybe it would work. But only if it was for a short length of time.”
Business owners were disappointed that they had received no formal notification from either Watercare or One Mahurangi that a pipeline through the main street was even a possibility. Many said that if the work happened during summer, traditionally the town’s highest trading time, it would be disastrous. One business said it would seriously look at relocating.
In One Mahurangi’s defence, co-chair Dave Stott said it had not informed Queen Street businesses because “up until last Thursday, we still had hope of persuading Watercare to adopt an alternative route”.
“Also, Watercare has asked us to hold off until a final decision is made by the executive and also, we have no idea what the timeframe will be – [construction] is probably two to four years from now.”
Stott said One Mahurangi had a long discussion about the assessment criteria of each proposal and was “flabbergasted to learn that ‘effect on community’ only had an eight percent rating, thus minimising any consideration of the damage that would occur to the community and businesses”.
Pete & Mary’s Eatery co-owner Tim Uhlworm said the lack of information was concerning.
He said that as a café, even partial closure of the street would still deter customers.
“No-one wants to sit outside and look at a construction site,” he said.
“I guess it has to be done for the town to develop and grow, but it will have a big impact on businesses along the route. Our fixed costs won’t change – we will still have to pay the rent and other bills.”
Prashant Darji, the owner of Paper Plus, which includes the town’s postal service, said any closure of the street would create a difficult situation for customers.
“You just have to look at what’s happened in Auckland’s CBD to see the impact long-term construction has on surrounding businesses,” he said.
“Parking is already an issue in Warkworth so even if it was done in portions, it would still leave businesses in a terrible situation. It would impact employees as well.”
Warkworth Butchery owner Rob Lees said he had heard from One Mahurangi about the possibility that Queen Street could be dug up for a wastewater pipeline, but with “no dates or details”. He had heard nothing from Watercare, either.
Lees said his business had been through significant disruption before, during the work on the Warkworth Hotel and The Oaks. For 18 months, the street was lined with trade vans through the entire work day, he recalled.
“It would be very disruptive,” he said of the pipeline prospect. “I can’t see it working out well for many people.”
Susan Lo of Golden Boat takeaways agreed. She said business had been badly affected by the opening of the new motorway bypassing Warkworth and customers would not visit if they struggled to find parking.
“Another route for the pipeline would be better,” she said.
Savan’s Bakery owner Bros Ly also hoped Watercare would not choose the Queen Street option, but conceded that if it did, there would be little anyone could do about it.
He, too, recalled how quiet business had been in previous years when work had been underway along the road.
Parking in the area was already a problem, he said. Workers who had just 30 minutes for lunch wanted to run in, grab a pie and go – and would not want to waste time looking for a parking place.
Ly also worried that any timeframe given for the work to be completed would likely end up being doubled.
“It’s never done as quickly as they say.”
Mark Watson, at Watson’s Shoe Repairs, said that as his shop was a destination, people who needed shoes or bags fixed or keys cut would probably come regardless.
“It would likely be bad for cafés though,” he said.
“It’s a hard economy for everybody at the moment,” a salesperson at a nearby clothing business said.
“Another added thing on top of that would not be appreciated.”
Another said that while Watercare had to sort out the wastewater issue, it could surely pick a route option “that wouldn’t affect businesses so drastically”.
A common theme among those surveyed was that parking around Queen Street was already dire, particularly impacting businesses where customers wanted to pop in and out quickly.
One store manager said her personal view was that, “Watercare sits in their ivory tower in the city and makes decisions without knowing the actual situation here”.
The proposed pipeline is part of a $300 million wastewater network upgrade, which includes the new treatment plant at Snells Beach. Wastewater from Warkworth will be pumped to Snells Beach for treatment and then piped to an outfall, off Martins Bay. The new system, minus the northern pipeline connection, is expected to be operating later next year.
Compensation
On the question of compensation for businesses affected by the pipeline, Watercare says pedestrian access will be retained all times. “Rather than providing compensation, we will be working with businesses and One Mahurangi to find practical ways to reduce or mitigate our impact, and to support the community through a range of initiatives.” One Mahurangi says it has been told by Watercare that legislation prevents it from offering compensation. “We are in the process of checking out whether this is, in fact, the case,” co-chair Dave Stott says. “We also discussed other ways in which they could help promote the town if direct compensation was not possible, and we suggested a sum of $200,000.”
Development implications
Until the new pipeline is commissioned, developments such as Warkworth Ridge face years of tankering wastewater from Warkworth to Rosedale, on the North Shore. Watercare confirms that a tankering agreement is in place with Warkworth Ridge, but disposal will be at the developer’s cost and will not be borne by ratepayers. Watercare says until it lands on a firm pipeline route, it won’t speculate on how long tankering will be required, but “it won’t be any less than a couple of years”. Meanwhile, Watercare says there are significant environmental risks for any developers who might be considering building their own on-site wastewater treatment systems. “Disposal involves a liquid stream and a solid stream. The solid waste is a difficult product to navigate the disposal of and needs to be closely managed.”
