My Account
Auckland Council’s plan to sell this land at 8 Hiwi Crescent (opposite Scott Road) in Whangaparaoa has hit a roadblock in the form of local board opposition.
The 809m piece of land, currently a grassed area, is the remainder of property acquired by the former Rodney District Council in 1998 for the purpose of its Whangaparaoa Road Widening Project.
The plan to sell it was made public in Hibiscus Matters back in June, at which time it was made clear that Auckland Transport considered the land surplus to requirements.
The Auckland Transport board resolved in November 2015 that the land was “no longer required for current or future transport related purposes” and transferred it to Panuku Development Auckland – the Council Controlled Organisation that manages the Council’s “non service” properties.
However, at the Hibiscus & Bays Local Board meeting on September 14, chair Julia Parfitt challenged that decision, saying that the board needs more information.
“We’re told that the same road widening outcome can be achieved through design but we’d like to see what has changed and the basis on which the Auckland Transport (AT) board came to that decision,” Mrs Parfitt said.
“I am concerned that it’s short-sighted to sell the land given the traffic levels on the road at this point and the fact that AT is under pressure to dispose of assets. If we later find that land is needed, it will be too expensive or too late.”
The board deferred the decision that would have given Panuku Development Auckland the green light to proceed with a sale.
It has asked to see more information from AT and would like it to consider retaining part of the land for road widening and selling the rest.
That information is to be brought to a workshop, which the public and media do not have access to.
