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A private plan change (PPC) lodged by Mangawhai Central with the Kaipara District Council would allow developers Viranda Partners to build as many new houses as it wants.
The plan change seeks to remove a rule that capped the number of residential dwellings at 500 within the estuary estates site where Mangawhai Central is being developed.
The new subzones set out in the plan would theoretically allow for 1700 new dwellings, although they would still have to be consented.
Viranda Partners chairman Andrew Guest previously hinted at a public meeting last year that the intention was to build between 700 and 1000 homes, up from the originally planned 500.
A report produced by KDC planner Paul Waanders recommended that the Council urgently accept the plan change in whole and that it be publicly notified.
Submissions on the public notification of the change closed last week.
Allowing for an increased number of dwellings has prompted concerns that it could overburden Mangawhai’s waste water facilities.
The plan change will require that all developments are connected to the Council’s controversial EcoCare waste water system, where previously there was some scope in the plan for on-site treatment.
There are also concerns about the demand for freshwater from the new development.
Mangawhai Central has already acquired consent from the Northern Regional Council to draw 100 cubic metres of water a day from the ground.
A proposed bore would tap the Mangawhai West aquifer which, according to the consent application, has a capacity of 76,600 cubic metres of water a year.
Rainwater harvesting will still be required to meet the demands of the new development.
Former lawyer and critic Clive Boonham opposed the plan change in a submission to the KDC.
Mr Boonham wants an independent report into whether the aquifer and rain tanks could feasibly supply the development’s demands for water.
“The figures provided do not take into account drought conditions, and the effect that the aquifer’s use could have on other consent holders,” he says.
Mr Boonham is also calling on Council to consider whether Mangawhai Central ought to include its own wastewater treatment facilities within the development.
“And if that is not feasible, the Council should obtain a report from an independent engineer on the condition, capacity, and the life-span of the current wastewater plant,” he says.
“The Council should not enter into any agreement without open consultation with ratepayers, including providing ratepayers with a copy of the engineering report.”
He writes that the number of potential new houses will ruin the “special character of Mangawhai”.
“It imposes a typically Auckland high-density urban solution on a rural/coastal/beach based township.”
Mangawhai Central put out a statement suggesting that the private plan change was needed because the current plan requires developers to build an excessive amount of retail space.
“Please be assured that the plan change is closely aligned to the masterplan that Mangawhai Central has presented to the Mangawhai community via public meetings and open-forum consultations at the Library Hall,” the statement says.
“Throughout the process we have encouraged community participation, engaged with people and sought feedback for incorporation into the PPC.”
Meanwhile, the consent hearing for the retail component of Mangawhai Central was held on May 20 – one week after the country moved to Alert Level 2 of lockdown.
The only ratepayer present, independent of the developers and the Council, was Mr Boonham.
