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A comprehensive plan to develop about 99ha of land – known as Stubbs Farm – was publicly notified by Auckland Council last week.
Turnstone Capital is applying for a plan change to the Auckland Unitary Plan to rezone the future urban-zoned land in Warkworth North to a mix of residential, business and open areas.
The bulk of the land lies between Viv Davie-Martin Drive and Hudson Road and an area to the south bounded by Falls Road and the Mahurangi River.
The Warkworth North Private Plan Change request would provide capacity for about 1200 dwellings and 13.4ha of business land.
The plan’s economic assessment concludes this could add between 2200 and 3000 people to the resident population, up to 1300 to the workforce and bolster retail spending by between $8 million and $9 million.
Turnstone’s Plan Change Request incorporates a structure plan which identifies zones for housing, light industry, business, retail, parks and recreation, plus a network of proposed roads and pedestrian and cycle connections through the development.
Turnstone Capital CEO Jamie Peters says that industrial land along side waterways has been specifically avoided to the largest extent possible.
The Warkworth North plan also proposes a Neighbourhood Centre with smaller shops to cater to residents’ convenience needs and will feature smaller offices, providing professional, advisory and employment services to meet the demand arising from the development of the new industrial zones.
The Neighbourhood Centre would be located beside a proposed western link road, which forms the main arterial route through the development and will likely accommodate public transport links in the future.
The most dense residential areas are closest to the Neighbourhood Centre, lower density housing is located in steeper, less accessible areas while business activities are focused in areas with flatter land.
The northern end of the development is designated a general business zone and provides for larger retail stores and warehouses, which will be close to the planned Matakana link road and the intersection of the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway extension and State Highway 1, which is currently under construction.
The plan change request says its structure plan enhances the existing natural features of the site, including water courses and bush areas by incorporating them into its open space network.
It adds that the proposed land use will contribute to improving the balance of residential and business growth “to support Warkworth as a self-sustaining community now and into the future”.
Auckland Council’s Future Urban Land Supply Strategy identifies Warkworth North as being ‘development ready’ by 2022.
Turnstone says progressing the plan change now enables the zoning to coordinate with developing key infrastructure such as the Puhoi to Warkworth motorway extension, the Matakana link road and the Snells Beach wastewater treatment plant upgrade.
More than 1000ha of land has been identified for future urban growth in Warkworth, with the town’s population expected to grow five-fold over the next three decades.
Members of the public wishing to see the entire plan change request and make a submission can see it on the Auckland Council website: aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/unitary-plan/auckland-unitary-plan-modifications/proposed-plan-changes/Pages/default.aspx
