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Supporting Growth’s recent mass mail-out of Notices of Requirement for land for future roading infrastructure came under fire at the July meeting of the Warkworth Area Liaison Group.
Retired roading engineer Roger Williams said the notices showing what land would be needed to build the roads deemed necessary over the next few decades had been prepared and lodged without community consultation.
Some 300 properties had received the notices without any warning, which had upset a lot of people, and all for projects that could take 20 or 30 years to happen.
“The Notice of Requirement is a blunt instrument and has a high impact on the individual,” he said. “And its implementation and construction has a high impact on the community.”
Williams said the growth of Warkworth did require serious infrastructure upgrades and establishing an efficient roading network had to be a priority.
However, he was critical of the methods used by council to let affected people know about the plans while encouraging them not to ‘go public’ about them.
“There are 300 properties seriously affected by this – that’s a heck of a lot of people,” he said. “If you’ve got a line drawn across your title, it stops you selling that property and it implies you can’t develop it.”
Williams was also critical of the limited amount of time allowed for feedback and the fact that each of the eight different route notifications required individual submissions.
However, he had studied and drawn up responses to each of them, including several new or realigned proposals that he felt would be cheaper, more efficient or work better for local traffic conditions, which he submitted this month on behalf of the liaison group.
These included moving a proposed transport hub and park and ride from next to the motorway maintenance buildings opposite Te Honohono ki Tai Road to behind Pak’nSave, and straightening an upgrade to Woodcocks Road to make it connect directly with the future southern motorway interchange.
Williams also proposed using a suspended deck for a proposed cycle/footpath along Matakana Road north of Melwood Drive, as it would be far less disruptive than the proposed road-widening and hard-sealed track.
Other suggestions sought to avoid the loss of residential, commercial and industrial land and properties, with what Williams said would be minimal adjustments.
