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Submissions are open for anyone wanting to comment on proposals for nearly 50 new homes on land that includes historic lime kilns, between Sandspit Road and the Mahurangi River in Warkworth.
Developer Denis Horner wants to build 49 houses at 34 & 36 Sandspit Road, which is part of a significant ecological area and features natural and historic heritage overlays. The application is non-complying under its current Unitary Plan zoning – Future Urban – and a private plan change application has also been submitted to rezone the land as Residential Mixed Housing Urban, and to alter heritage and outstanding natural landscape overlays.
However, Horner has stressed that the lime kilns and extensive native bush surrounding the site would not only be retained, but opened up to the public with the provision of new paths and reserves (MM, Feb 28).
The Kilns development would comprise 13 three-storey terraced houses, 10 two-storey duplexes, four two-storey houses, 15 two-storey terraces, six one-storey duplexes and one single-storey house. There would also be a new road off Sandspit Road, which would involve recontouring the road berm to improve sightlines and create a right-turn bay. New public walkways to allow pedestrian access to Warkworth town centre, via Millstream Place, and to the Combes and Daldy lime kilns would also be provided.
Construction would require earthworks to remove more than 43,000 cubic metres of soil and 970 cubic metres of trees and vegetation from a significant ecological area.
Horner’s consultant planners, The Planning Collective, said the proposed subdivision would have a positive effect on the environment by using land and infrastructure efficiently for much-needed housing, as well as providing reserves and public access to the riverbank and town centre.
They added that the intention was for the resource consent application to be processed concurrently with the plan change application.
An Auckland Council spokesperson said Council had received the private plan change request, but was still waiting for a full response to a request for further information.
“Any lodged resource consent will be assessed against the operative provisions of the Auckland Unitary Plan, not the private plan change request,” the spokesperson said.
For full details of the proposals and to make a submission, the documents can be viewed at Council’s Warkworth Service Centre, at 1 Baxter Street, from Monday to Friday, between 8.30am and 5pm. Or go to www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and scroll down to ‘Have your say and help shape Auckland’, then ‘Have your say on a resource consent’ and finally ‘Notified resource consent applications open for submissions’. Submissions must be made by Wednesday, July 6.
