A New World supermarket and a Bunnings Warehouse are expected to open in Mangawhai later this year.
They will be the first commercial buildings in Mangawhai Central, a large scale development over 130 hectares off Molesworth Drive, between Mangawhai Village and Mangawhai Heads.
The development includes a mix of commercial, retail and residential options, including a retirement village. Originally called Estuary Estates, the land is owned by an Auckland-based company, Mangawhai Central Limited.
A spokesperson for the company says the bulk of residential sales won’t get underway until next year when titles are issued, but a small 15-lot subdivision on Old Waipu Road should be ready to sell off the plan in the next couple of months.
Meanwhile, appeals to the Environment Court against the Mangawhai Central Private Plan Change 78 have been settled through mediation.
Mayor Dr Jason Smith says this outcome is a good example of the democratic process at work.
“The agreement has achieved the right balance of enabling development, and preserving the parts of local character and amenity that makes the magical Mangawhai environment so special and unique,” Smith says.
Last year, residents group Mangawhai Matters and Clive Boonham filed separate appeals to the court against Kaipara District Council’s decision to approve the plan change.
The Mangawhai Matters appeal resulted in the amendment of the plan change by changing financial contribution requirements, enabling wastewater applications to be declined if there is insufficient capacity, strengthening the water supply and stormwater provisions, changing provisions to maintain the small town coastal character of Mangawhai, amending minimum lot size and density rules, as well as several changes to address potential effects on NZ fairy tern and improve management of effects on wetlands.
Mr Boonham was primarily concerned with the capacity of the Mangawhai wastewater system and the court has confirmed that the provisions need to be more explicit around having sufficient current or planned wastewater capacity for any proposed development.
The Environment Court has now finalised this process.
