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Potential commercial centres, possible school and community facility sites, and cycleways and walkways will be discussed at a consultation event at the Warkworth Town Hall on Sunday July 9.
A group of planners, engineers and other professionals has prepared a proposal on the potential use of land in future urban areas in Warkworth and is seeking community feedback.
The proposal is intended to generate community thought and discussion to inform a community-led spatial plan, which will be submitted to Auckland Council so it can be used for detailed structure planning and future zone changes.
Group members Ian Hutchinson and Rachel Callender say the proposal aims to speed up the whole process, which is vitally important if Warkworth has any hope of developing in a coordinated way.
“Just look around – development is happening all over the place at speed,” Mr Hutchinson says. “Our community is passionate about Warkworth, so we need to activate some serious discussion now if we want to have the planning framework in place to ensure Warkworth remains a great place to live.”
Based on what is known about the area from the Unitary Plan’s land-use rules and what key agencies such as the NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport and the Ministry of Education are currently planning, the group’s proposal considers:
- routes for arterial roads, cycleways, walkways and greenway trails
- broad areas for residential, open spaces, and industrial land use
- general locations for core community facilities such as schools and active recreational areas
- general locations for future commercial centres
- the interrelationships between all the above
The group has been meeting with Council officers, elected members and various agencies, as well as working alongside a town centre community forum, to develop the proposal.
“We’re hoping the community will rally and share this document far and wide so we get good feedback and can use it to get Council to bring forward planning for Warkworth,” Mr Hutchinson says.
The document can be uploaded from the Talking Warkworth and Warkworth community Facebook pages or by request to email wwspatial@gmail.com.
Any community groups or organisations that would like a presentation about the proposal can also make the request via email.
“As volunteers we want to reach as many people as we can so we’re asking for the community to get behind us and help get the word out,” Ms Callender says.
The group expects the consultation to run until Sunday August 6.
Members of the group are engineers Ian Hutchinson and Roger Thorburn, property valuer Steve Jack, surveyor Tony Hayman, communications consultant Rachel Callender, planners Burnette Macnicol and David Hay, and retired farmer and former councillor John Wynyard.
The consultation on July 9 will run from 1pm to 4pm.
Information and a questionnaire can be found here: https://www.warkworthgrowth.nz
