A private plan change, which would allow a subdivision of up to 200 new dwellings on McKinney Road, may have run into trouble with Auckland Transport (AT) and Waka Kotahi – New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).
Under Plan Change 72, Aztek Project is seeking to rezone about 8.2 hectares on McKinney Road, tucked in behind The Grange Estate, from future urban to mixed housing suburban. The plan change has been lodged on behalf of multiple landowners.
Both AT and NZTA raised concerns in their submissions that the proposed housing did not meet medium density rules. However, their main concern was the impact of traffic from a high density residential development on a narrow rural road, plus the impact on the existing McKinney Road/SH1 intersection.
The southern part of Warkworth is planned to be developed in six to 10 years, with significant road work in the pipeline by both AT and NZTA. This includes an upgrade along the entire length of McKinney Road, as well as footpaths and cycleways, and a major upgrade of the SH1/McKinney Road intersection.
McKinney Road will be a collector route for residents in the proposed subdivision, along with John Andrew Drive.
NZTA has opposed the subdivision partly as there is currently no funding allocated for the upgrade of the intersection, but also because this would normally be done at the same time as the McKinney Road upgrade. They want the plan change delayed until this can happen.
Auckland Transport made the point that the provision of footpaths, cycleways and public transport were Council requirements to help tackle climate change.
Safe access for pedestrians and cyclists to the Grange commercial centre could also be a problem as access would likely need to go through Fairwater Road, which is a narrow private road with no cycling allowed.
Submissions on the plan change closed in March, with further submissions closing on May 12.
