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By Rod Cheeseman
While the residents of most towns in Mahurangi are quietly apprehensive about the effects of growth from the Unitary Plan, Wellsford residents have been crying out to get noticed.
They formed the Vision Wellsford group after Auckland Council planners cited zero population growth since 1976.
Vision Wellsford members see a very different future for the town.
Demand for housing is at an all time high, as people escaping Auckland’s housing boom are moving up and increasing demand. A relocated villa on the outskirts recently sold for over $800,000, a figure that stunned long-time residents. New subdivisions are popping up around town, putting pressure on the town’s infrastructure.
The sewerage and stormwater systems are at capacity and Watercare is at the limit of its wastewater discharge consent. The water treatment plant also needs a significant upgrade. Recent contamination of drinking water from herbicides (see story p7) has only added to residents water woes.
Wellsford’s new locals from Auckland are predominantly young families, and that has breathed new life into the town. Houses are being renovated and gardens landscaped and manicured. Kindergartens and childcare facilities have ever-increasing rolls, but many parents still make the long commute to Auckland. A staggering amount of traffic winds its way through Dome Valley from 5am every weekday.
Poor road maintenance is another area of concern for residents, who feel they are on the blind side of Council’s vision. Potholes on the road out to Tapora are so large even trucks and buses swerve to avoid them.
In its heyday, Wellsford-based company Izards employed 525 people and supplied over 40 per cent of the world’s saw blades. After selling to Irwins, the business eventually closed in 2009 and the area has been bereft of a major employer ever since. Vision Wellsford wants to increase the Rural Urban Boundary (RUB) by around 30ha and would like to see the return of local industry. It is difficult to plan future industrial areas when the path of the new motorway is still undecided.
On the positive side, Wellsford’s new library, which opened in 2013, continues to be well frequented by locals. The old library building, dubbed the OWL (old Wellsford library) has been saved from sale by local campaigners. They have now received a $40,000 Rodney Local Board grant to turn the building into a community hub, and employ a coordinator.
