Plan change premature, board says

Concerns that plans to develop 159 hectares of land south of Warkworth are premature and pose a flood risk have been raised by Rodney Local Board.

Members were asked to provide their views on proposals to rezone the land near Valerie Close, which includes upper reaches of the Mahurangi River and could result in 1600 new homes, a retail and business centre, and public transport interchange (MM, Mar 11).

The applicants are KA Waimanawa Limited – a partnership of Classic Group and the New Zealand Super Fund – and Stepping Towards Far Limited.

Consultant planner for Auckland Council David Wren told last month’s local board meeting that the land had originally been scheduled for redevelopment between 2028 and 2032, but in council’s new Future Development Strategy (FDS) that had been pushed back to 2040-45-plus.

“If this goes ahead now, it will be way in front of what the FDS is saying in terms of timing,” he said.

“The main issues are around infrastructure provision. Watercare is saying that if all the development in the north occurred, there would be shortfalls in terms of the wastewater upgrade being able to handle this, as well as water supply, water rights and so on.”

Board members approved a lengthy 25-point submission that included concerns that the development posed an increased flood risk, would cause stream habitat loss, included a Special Ecological Area, threatened a long-tailed bat colony, and said current roading, public transport and water/wastewater provision would be inadequate.

“Watercare says that future upgrades already planned are needed for other developments already planned in the area and, therefore, will not have the capacity to service the Warkworth South area,” they said.

However, members supported some aspects of the plan change, including proposed footpaths and cycleways, and the provision of open space, conservation, sports, active and recreation zones.

They also supported the inclusion of a retail and business centre, though expressed concern that the development would be separated from Warkworth itself by a future urban zone, rather than an already developed area, which members thought would reduce “opportunities to make connections with other developed parts of Warkworth”.

“The timing of the proposed plan change seems premature in comparison to areas closer to the current developed areas.”

They said there was already insufficient council and government infrastructure funding for land already live-zoned, and there was a danger that out-of-sequence, ad hoc developments would lead to urban sprawl and “poor outcomes”.

The board’s views will form part of the planning report for a public hearing later this year.